?2547£ 


tihxavy  of  Che  theological  ^tminavy 

PRINCETON  .  NEW  JERSEY 

FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
ROBERT  ELLIOTT  SPEER 

BX  9225  .P377  L4  1903 
Levi  Parsons,  D.D. 


pi/ 


^i^-iy—r      v>L^>>^  ^^^^-T'^-^/, 


\2^oeicAL 


PASTOR    OF 

THE    FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH,   MOUNT  MORRIS,   N.  Y. 

1856- I9OI 


A  SKETCH  OF  HIS  LIFE  — FUNERAL  SERVICES  — TRIBUTES 

OF  ESTEEM-EXTRACTS  FROM  HIS  SERMONS 

AND  ADDRESSES 


The  Union  Press, 
AIoxjNT  Morris.  New   York, 


"For  tJion  hast  kept  the  faith  ;  tJiy  soul  nndaitiited. 
Whatever  storms  might  round  thee  rage  and  roll, 

By  one  celestial  passion  still  enchanted. 

Has  held  its  course  right  otn^'ard  to  the  goal. 

Thou  hast  not  basely  gathered  thrift  7oith  fa^cning. 
Nor  loom  a  laurel  that  thou  hast  not  zoon  ; 

But,  in  thy  rsenith  hour  as  in  thy  daivning, 

The  good  thy  nature  loilled  thy  hand  has  done. 

On  thy  calm  front  the  7i.<aves  of  trouble,  btoken. 
Have  backboard  surged  and  left  thee  regnant  still , 

Nor  tempests  of  the  soul  nor  griefs  unspoken 

Have  e' er  had poiver  to  shake  thy  steadfast  7oiliy 


lEarlg  ICtfr. 


H 


ALF  a  mile  south  of  the  "First  Church,"  just  outside  the 
village  limits  of  Marcellus,  stands  a  roomy  old  dwelling 
known  for  many  years,  in  those  parts,  as  "The  Farm." 

It  is  a  simple,  unpretentious,  rambling  house  with  a  story  and  a 
half  front,  followed  by  a  series  of  after-thoughts  in  the  shape  of  wings 
and  lean-to's  added  to  suit  the  needs  of  a  growing  family.  Its  broad, 
low  gable-end  faces  the  road  and  overlooks  a  sloping  meadow  through 
which  a  noi.sy  creek  threads  its  silver  way.  Dormer  windows  peer 
sideways  through  the  trees  up  and  down  the  valley,  catching 
glimpses  of  an  orchard  on  this  side,  the  garden  and  distant  village 
spire  on  that. 

The  great  central  chimney  gives  evidence  that  within  is  the 
"  hospitable  hearth  "  of  ancient  fame,  whereon  blazed  cheery  wood- 
fires  ;  and  indeed  "The  Farm"  boasts  a  parlor  which  has  never 
known  the  profaning  presence  of  a  stove  in  all  the  ninety  years  of 
its  existence.  Household  furnishings  are  plain  but  comfortable,  a 
reflection  of  their  owner's  character  and  a  revelation  of  ministerial 
life  in  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

In  this  house  which  he  had  recently  built  the  Rev.  Levi  Parsons, 
first  pastor  of  the  Marcellus  Presbyterian  Church,  established  him- 
self with  his  young  wife  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1810,  and  here  their 
happy  married  life  of  nearly  fifty  years  was  spent. 

He  was  a  native  of  Northampton,  Mass.,  and  came  of  good  old 
Puritan  stock  as  represented  by  Cornet  Joseph  Parsons  who  came 
to  this  country,  while  yet  a  mere  boy,  from  Devonshire,  England,  in 
1635.     History  and    tradition    unite    in    attributing  to  this  worthy 


"uncommon  force  of  character."  But  the  judicial  ability  of  the 
family  first  found  expression  in  his  son,  Esquire  Joseph  Parsons, 
whose  name  heads  the  list  of  Hampshire  county  judges,  and  is  found 
in  connection  with  many  other  civil  and  political  offices  of  the  time. 
Possibly  this  legal  mind  is  an  inheritance  from  the  female  side  of 
the  family,  for  we  learn  that  his  mother.  Mistress  Mary  Parsons, 
having  the  misfortune  to  be  the  wife  of  the  wealthiest  man  in  town, 
was  (like  many  other  ladies  of  substance  in  those  days)  accused  of 
witchcraft.  Mistress  Mary  was  the  grand-daughter  of  a  man  who 
had  suffered  imprisonment  under  Archbishop  Laud.  She  was  a 
woman  of  resolution  and  had  no  mind  to  tamely  submit.  Accom- 
panied by  her  mother  she  traversed  the  wilderness  lying  between 
Northampton  and  Boston  where  the  court  was  held,  pleaded  her 
own  case  and  was  acquitted. 

The  men  of  the  Parsons  family  were  thrifty,  industrious,  honor- 
able, and  reliable.  Their  religion  was  of  that  practical  sort  which 
gained  them  renown  as  good,  peaceable  neighbors  rather  than  seats 
in  ecclesiastical  circles ;  but  they  were  remarkably  unanimous  in 
selecting  wives  from  the  daughters  of  godly  men,  and  so  it  came  to 
pass  that  their  descendants  rejoice  in  tracing  their  lineage  from 
Elder  John  Strong  whose  reputation  for  sanctity  stood  hardly 
second  to  that  of  the  minister  in  the  popular  mind  ;  Deacon  Jonathan 
Hunt,  and  Deacon  Josiah  Clark  whose  grandfather  bore  the  same 
title  before  him  and  whose  great-grandfather,  Lieut.  William  Clark, 
was  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  pioneer  church  in  Northampton.  Of 
these  Clarks  it  is  said  "they  maintained  a  regular /h';«z7j/  prayer- 
meeting  for  a  number  of  years." 

With  such  a  background  it  is  hardly  wonderful  that  Levi  Parsons, 
Sr.,  having  graduated  in  September  of  1801  from  Williams  College 
at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  decided,  after  teaching  a  couple  of  years 
in  an  academy  at  Cornwall,  Conn.,  and  tutoring  for  a  couple  more 
years  at  Williams,  to  enter  the  ministry.  He  studied  theology  with 
Dr.  Alvin  Hyde,  who  for  forty  years  ministered  to  the  church  of 
Lee,  Massachusetts. 

10 


As  a  licentiate  he  was  employed  by  the  Berkshire  Missionary 
Society  to  traverse  New  York  State,  visiting  especially  new  settle- 
ments. On  this  tour  he  preached  at  Marcellus,  the  result  being 
that  he  was  invited  to  become  pastor  of  that  church  at  a  salary  of 
four  hundred  dollars  a  year.  Here  he  was  ordained  and  installed 
September  i6,  1807,  being  the  second  minister  settled  in  Onondaga 
county.  This  pastorate  lasted  thirty-two  years,  but  his  residence  at 
"The  Farm  "  continued  during  life. 

His  marriage  with  Almira,  daughter  of  Deacon  Samuel  Rice, 
occurred  October  9,  1809.  To  them  were  born  eight  sons  and 
daughters,  of  whom  seven  lived  to  maturity.  The  youngest,  who  is 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  January  2,  1829.  To  him  was 
given  his  father's  name  of  Levi  Parsons.  The  reminiscences  of  his 
early  years  show  him  to  have  been  a  thoughtful,  conscientious, 
affectionate  child.  The  object  of  his  especial  idolatry  was  his 
mother,  a  woman  of  mild  but  firm  character,  very  prudent  in  speech 
and  charitable  in  judgment.  Her  children  laughingly  said  that  when 
mother  could  find  nothing  else  to  say  for  a  person  she  spoke  of  him 
as  "a  clever  body."  She  was  most  sensitively  careful  of  everyone's 
feelings,  and  took  unwearied  pains  to  impress  upon  her  children  the 
obligation  of  courtesy  to  all,  but  especially  to  a  stranger  or  one  who 
might  be  neglected. 

Her  health  being  extremely  frail  during  a  great  part  of  her  life, 
household  cares  were  early  assumed  by  the  daughters,  and  it  was  a 
cardinal  doctrine  of  the  family  that  mother  must  be  saved  all  unnec- 
essary trouble.     To  her  room  gentle  manners  alone  were  admitted. 
Her  youngest  son  knew  no  greater  treat  than  to  visit  in  the  sitting- 
room  with  his  mother,  she  seated  by  the  chimney,  he  close  beside 
her  on  his  little  cricket,  in  friendly  converse.     No  music,  to  his 
childish  ear,  equalled  her  songs,  the  favorite  being  a  hymn  of  Watts' 
which  had  power  to  soothe  every  woe  of  mind  or  body — 
"  No  burning  heats  by  day 
Nor  blasts  of  evening  air, 
Shall  take  my  health  away 
If  God  be  with  me  there." 

II 


Supreme  authority  was  vested  in  the  father  who  was  eminently 
"the  head  of  the  family."  Never  familiar  with  his  children,  never 
permitting  undue  freedom  toward  himself,  he  was  yet  a  tender 
father,  self-denying,  and  ever  watchful  for  their  best  interests,  reas- 
onable in  his  demands.  When  his  fiat  had  gone  forth  none  dreamed 
that  it  could  be  changed  by  teasing  or  coaxing,  nor  did  one  fancy 
that  transgression  would  escape  merited  reward  however  long- 
delayed.  Family  government  was  administered  with  an  impartial 
justice  which  won  the  lasting  respect  of  the  children. 

The  Sabbath,  beginning  with  Saturday  night,  was  strictly 
observed  at  "The  Farm."  Each  child  was  expected  to  regularly 
attend  divine  worship  where  reverent  behavior  was  exacted,  for  the 
minister  had  no  intention  of  falling  into  Eli's  errors. 

In  later  years  his  son,  Levi  Junior,  recalled  an  incident  illus- 
trating this  feature  of  his  father's  character.  The  father  was 
preaching  for  a  year  in  the  neighboring  church  of  Otisco.  With  him 
were  his  two  youngest  children,  Margaret,  aged  ten,  and  Levi,  five. 
Among  the  iDoy's  most  cherished  possessions  at  that  time  was  a 
handkerchief  stamped  in  one  corner  with  the  head  of  George  Wash- 
ington. The  handkerchief  was  his  "best,"  and  as  such,  privileged 
to  repose  in  his  pocket  on  Sabbath  day  in  the  meeting-house,  where 
an  occasional  glimpse  of  George  was  unspeakably  refreshing  to  the 
child,  making  him  forget  his  weary,  dangling  little  feet. 

One  Sabbath  morning,  as  the  two  children  sat  together  in  the 
square  pew  dedicated  to  the  minister's  family,  it  occurred  to  Levi  to 
relieve  the  tedium  of  the  service  by  folding  the  edges  of  the  hand- 
kerchief around  George  in  a  coffin-like  way,  after  which  he  buried 
him  in  one  corner  of  the  pew,  and  so  pleasing  did  these  obsequies 
prove  that  they  were  quietly  repeated  from  time  to  time.  Such  a 
pastime  in  these  days  might  be  considered  gruesome  but  hardly 
inappropriate  to  the  house  of  God.  In  the  early  thirties  other  views 
prevailed,  as  presently  appeared  on  their  return  home,  and  thence- 
forth greater  heed  was  given  to  sermons  and  less  to  funereal  rites. 

No  injunction  of  Holy  Writ  was  more  implicitly  obeyed  in  this 

12 


household  than  the  one  to  "Use  hospitahty  without  orudging; "  and 
indeed  the  traveUng  customs  of  the  day  gave  abundant  opportunity 
for  the  cultivation  of  this  amiable  virtue.  "The  Farm  "diaries 
record  an  endless  round  of  visits.  There  were  the  morning  visitors, 
the  evening  visitors,  and  those  who  came  "to  spend  the  day,"  or 
night.  It  was  a  joy  to  welcome  a  half-dozen  unexpected  guests  to 
the  breakfast  table,  escort  eight  or  nine  out-of-town  friends  to  the 
family  pew  on  Sunday,  and  entertain  the  "Female  Benevolent 
Society"  whose  numbers  swelled  from  twenty  in  the  afternoon  to 
an  evening  party  of  fifty  or  so. 

The  larder  expected  to  be  in  readiness  for  any  emergency  calcu- 
lated to  produce  famine,  while  that  day  which  found  "the  spare 
bedroom  "  empty  provided  most  unusual  news  for  the  family  chron- 
icles. The  appreciative  tribute  of  one  visitor  was  long  cherished  by 
the  children  who  heard  him  say  to  his  wife,  "  This,  my  dear,  is  the 
family  of  whom  I  told  you  as  being  so  exceedingly  well  brought  up," 
from  which  we  infer  that  even  "the  good  old  times  "  knew  ups  and 
downs  in  child-culture. 

It  was  well  for  the  minister  that  he  was  versed  in  agricultural 
lore  and  that  his  slender  stipend  was  reinforced  by  the  produce  of 
his  fields,  whose  area  gradually  grew  from  ten  to  a  hundred  acres, 
for  his  generous  hospitality  as  well  as  the  needs  of  a  large  and 
growing  family  necessitated  the  greatest  prudence,  industry  and 
economy.  Every  child  was  expected  to  help,  fixed  tasks  being 
assigned  each  at  an  early  age.  However,  sweets  were  mixed  with 
toil  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  letter  penned  when  the  writer 
was  nine  years  old  : 

Dear  Sister  : 

As  Almira  is  now  going  to  Geneva  I  will  improve  the  time  in 
writing  to  you.  I  go  to  School  as  I  said  before,  and  I  can  parse  a 
little,  this  year  I  go  after  the  harvesters  and  glean  all  that  they 
leave.  Papa  thinks  that  I  shall  gather  a  half  a  bushel  and  that  will 
be  worth  a  half  a  dolar.  Mr.  frost  has  made  Some  winder  blinds  for 
our  front  chamber.     I  have  Watermelons  as  large  as  four  Walnuts. 

13 


our  folks  have  new  Potatoes.  Mr.  tcels  has  gon  to  Jail  for  abus- 
ing his  family.  I  have  but  little  to  say  as  I  wrote  not  long  since. 
From  your  dear  brother, 

Levi  Parsons. 

It  will  be  seen  that  his  education  was  already  begun.  He  was  in 
fact  a  scholar  of  several  years  standing,  having  entered  the  district 
school  at  a  tender  age.  The  rudiments  of  learning  gained,  he  passed 
into  his  father's  study  to  fit  for  college.  The  study  was  located  in 
the  second  story  under  the  sloping  roof.  From  its  windows  was  an 
inviting  outlook  over  barn  and  field  to  a  wood-lot  skirting  the  west- 
ern side  of  the  farm,  which  furnished  abundant  supplies  of  fuel, 
maple-sugar,  berries,  and  nuts  in  their  seasons.  Within  stood  a 
high  desk,  perched  upon  phenomenally  long  legs,  where  were  stored 
the  minister's  sermons  and  letters ;  the  plain  little  rocker  and 
"pegged"  stand  where  he  listened  to  recitations,  and  two  long, 
home-made  tables  supplied  with  stone  inkstands  and  quill  pens 
around  which  gathered  young  folk  in  pursuit  of  "higher  branches  of 
learning."  Here  Euclid  and  "the  classics,"  Blair's  Lectures  and 
Rollins'  History  held  sway,  while  a  host  of  ancient  worthies  looked 
on  from  the  book-shelves. 

In  all  matters  educational,  Mr.  Parsons  took  a  keen  interest. 
He  himself  was  regarded  as  a  superior  instructor.  From  the  time 
of  his  settlement  in  Marcellus,  he  had,  after  the  fashion  of  old-time 
ministers,  increased  his  income,  as  well  as  his  cares,  by  receiving 
into  his  family  pupils  preparing  for  college  or  the  ministry.  As 
years  went  on  his  own  sons  and  daughters  shared  these  advantages, 
which  were  varied  as  family  finances  permitted  by  occasional  seasons 
at  academies  or  female  seminaries.  Moravia  Academy  was  chosen 
for  Levi  Parsons,  Jr.,  mainly  because  his  sister  had  recently  married 
and  removed  to  that  village.  A  glimpse  of  him  at  fifteen  is  afforded 
by  a  composition  on  "Patriotism  as  it  Affects  Our  Country,"  written 
at  this  time.  The  style,  while  rather  more  oratorical  than  youthful 
essays  of  the  present  day,  is  characterized  by  simplicity,  earnestness, 
and  well-chosen  language ;  while  the  boyish  thought  expressed  in 

14 


his  treatment  of  the  theme  curiously  foreshadows  those  productions 
of  later  years  bearini^  upon  public  affairs.  A  year  later  we  find  him 
a  Freshman  at  Hamilton  College.  His  mother,  whose  education 
had  been  "finished"  there  in  the  old  days  of  Kirkland  Academy, 
simply  notes  in  her  diary  under  date  of  January  6,  1846:  "Mr. 
Parsons,  Levi  and  Guy  left  this  morning  for  Hamilton  College,  the 
boys  expecting  to  be  left  as  members." 

The  Hamilton  which  welcomed  the  class  of  '49  was  not  a  luxur- 
ious spot ;  but  the  boys  did  not  mind, — they  were  used  to  sheet  iron 
heaters,  candles,  and  rectangular  buildings,  nor  dreamed  that  hard- 
ship was  connected  with  their  use.  For  a  year's  residence  on 
College  Hill,  the  most  extravagant  of  upper  classmen  was  not, 
according  to  the  catalogue,  expected  to  make  way  with  more  than 
$103.50,  while  frugal  Freshmen  need  spend  but  $64.25,  which 
modest  sum  might  be  still  further  reduced  by  consultation  with 
the  Faculty. 

There  was  plenty  of  fun  and  frolic  mixed  with  the  regular  curri- 
culum (the  age  of  "electives"  was  not  yet),  and  no  one  more 
thoroughly  enjoyed  that  relaxation  than  Levi  Parsons,  Jr. 

His  genial  humor  and  genuine  friendliness  soon  won  the  affec- 
tionate regard  of  his  mates,  while  his  thorough,  accurate  scholarship 
gained  their  respect  as  well  as  the  approbation  of  grave  professors. 

During  the  winter  of  his  Junior  year  a  term  of  teaching  inter- 
rvipted  his  college  course.  Under  date  of  January  24  his  mother 
writes:  "This  morning  two  of  our  trustees  called  to  invite  Levi  to 
take  the  head  of  our  union  school — he  had  three  hours  for  consider- 
ation when  he  gave  his  answer  in  the  affirmative."  The  following 
morning  his  duties  as  schoolmaster  began.  This  first  experience  in 
managing  humanity  was  not  one  of  unmingled  bliss  ;  however  helpful 
it  may  have  proved  in  the  development  of  his  own  character. 

His  position  as  "instructor  of  youth"  was  joyfully  abandoned  in 
April  in  favor  of  college  and  the  Junior  Exhibition  for  which  he  had 
carefully  prepared  during  his  absence,  having  also  kept  up  with 
regular   class  work  in  most  studies.     The  opening  of  the  term  is 

15 


described  in  a  letter  from  which  the  following  extract  is  taken : 

Hamilton  College,  May  9,  1848. 
Dear  Father — 

Since  I  left  you  at  the  embankment  have  been  generally  pros- 
pered in  my  affairs  as  well  as  could  be  expected.  Found  students 
enough  before  we  landed  at  Oneida  to  make  out  a  full  load  for 
college.  Had  rather  a  raw  time  going  over  and  found  things  looking 
rather  cold  and  disagreeable  at  college ;  but  at  the  same  time  there 
were  many  familiar  faces  and  fellows  whom  I  was  right  glad  to  see. 
As  regards  a  boarding  house,  I  found  a  place  had  been  reserved  for 
me  at  Col.  Barker's,  my  old  boarding  place,  which  I  concluded  to 
accept.  The  price  is  as  formerly  which  is  as  low  as  any  place  except 
one — and  most  of  them  have  13  and  14  shillings.  I  occupy  the 
same  room  as  when  here  before ;  but  have  adopted  a  new  chum. 
His  name  is  Russ — he  is  not  quite  so  talkative  as  my  other  chum, 
but  is  much  neater  about  the  room.  I  am  quite  pleased  with  my 
new  chum  and  am  glad  to  be  with  some  one  who  does  something 
towards  keeping  things  in  order,  a  quality  which  most  of  my  former 
chums  have  not  possesed.  The  Exhibition  came  off  in  due  time 
and  I  performed  my  part  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  I  succeeded  in 
gaining  good  attention  which  very  few  were  able  to  do — in  fact  my 
piece  was  peculiar  and  entirely  different  from  anything  else  on  the 
stage,  and,  if  I  may  be  permitted  to  say  so,  I  got  along  very  well.  I 
am  going  to  have  a  first  rate  chance  for  studying  this  term.  Three 
other  classmates  besides  myself  intend  reciting  to  Prof.  D wight. 
He  is  considered  much  better  than  the  regular  German  teacher, 
and  the  class  being  so  small  we  shall  have  a  good  chance  to  learn 
the  pronunciation. 

The  "piece"  to  which  allusion  is  made  was  an  ardent  exposition 
of  the  superior  advantages  gained  by  the  student  in  country  institu- 
tions, and  its  position  upon  the  program  evidently  entitled  the 
speaker  to  some  private  rejoicings. 

He  graduated  July  25,  1849,  being  then  according  to  an  onlooker 
"a  rather  mature  looking,  old  looking  young  man."  Boys  who  have 
since  attained  honorable  rank  in  life  were  his  classmates.  Among 
them  may  be  noted  John  J.  Knox,  U.  S.  Comptroller  of  Currency; 

16 


Levi  Paksons,  Jr.,  JEt.  19. 


Hon.  James  Woolworth,  of  Nebraska ;  W.  B.  Ruggles,  who  held 
prominent  offices  in  New  York  State,  and  Rev.  F.  F.  ElHnwood, 
D.D.,  Senior  Secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions.  With  many,  friendships  were  maintained  which  termi- 
nated only  with  death. 

The  year  succeeding  his  graduation  was  an  important  one — for 
in  it  was  settled  his  lot  for  time  and  eternity.  He  had  decided  for 
law,  a  profession  his  gifts  eminently  fitted  him  to  adorn,  and  intended 
teaching  his  way  to  the  Bar.  The  position  of  assistant  in  an 
academy  at  East  Bloomfield,  N.  Y.,  where  legal  studies  filled  leisure 
hours,  was  the  first  step  in  this  career. 

At  East  Bloomfield  Providence  had  located  as  pastor  Henry 
Kendall,  a  son  of  both  Hamilton  and  Auburn,  whose  magnetic 
Christian  character  was  influential  in  bringing  about  the  young 
teacher's  conversion.  On  September  i,  1850,  he  united  with  the 
Marcellus  Plrst  Church  and  soon  after  went  to  Michigan  to  teach  at 
Flint.  When  twenty-two  years  old  he  began  the  study  of  theology 
at  Auburn  Seminary.  Of  this  institution  his  father  was  a  founder 
and  devoted  friend,  serving  as  its  trustee  from  its  incorporation 
until  his  death — a  period  of  forty-four  years — during  thirty-four  of 
which  he  was  President  of  the  Board. 

Hardly  was  he  well  established  when  Hamilton  College  honored 
him,  as  Williams  had  previously  honored  his  father,  by  offering  a 
tutorship,  which  was  declined.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  at  North- 
villc  by  the  Presbytery  of  Cayuga  the  21st  day  of  June,  1853.  Six 
months  later  he  received  a  communication  which  we  give  in  full : 


Hamilton  College, 
December  i,  1853. 
Dear  Sir — 

You  are  perhaps  aware  that  since  the  beginning  of  the  present 
collegiate  year  the  duties  of  the  College  Chaplaincy  with  us  have 
been  discharged  by  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Brayton  who  also  at  the  same 
time  in  part  acted  as  a  Classical  Instructor  by  hearing  one  recitation 
each  day.     In  consequence,  however,  of  engagements  into  which  he 

17 


entered  with  the  Home  Missionary  Society  before  coming  here,  he 
finds  himself  unexpectedly  obliged  to  leave  at  the  close  of  the 
present  term.  We  are  hence  looking  around  for  some  one  to  take 
his  place  ;  as  you  were  on  a  former  occasion  invited  to  a  place  in 
our  Faculty,  we  have  thought  it  proper  to  renew  the  invitation  at 
this  time ;  and  it  is  in  accordance  with  the  unanimous  wish  of  my 
associates  that  I  now  write.  Our  first  wish  is :  that  you  should 
accept  the  place  which  Mr.  Bray  ton  proposes  to  leave  vacant,  in 
which  case  it  will  become  your  duty  to  preach  once  on  the  Sabbath, 
attend  prayer-meeting  Sabbath  evening,  and  hear  one  recitation  on 
each  of  the  other  days  of  the  week.  The  salary  attached  to  this 
position  is  $700.  Should  you  be  unwilling  to  assume  the  duties  of 
the  College  Chaplaincy  we  shall  be  glad  to  have  you  accept  the  post 
of  tutor,  as  before  offered  to  you,  in  which  case  your  salary  will  be 
$450  for  the  first  year,  $500  for  the  second,  &c.,  with  duty  usually 
of  hearing  two  recitations  each  day.  Should  you  consent  to  this 
proposal  we  shall  desire  you  to  join  us  at  the  opening  of  the  next 
term.     I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from  you  at  your  earliest  convenience. 

Very  truly  yours, 

Simeon  North. 
Mr.  Levi  Parsons, 

Auburn,  N.  Y. 


This  mark  of  confidence  from  his  Alma  Mater  could  not  but 
gratify  so  young  a  man.  The  position  with  its  literary  outlook  was 
tempting  to  one  entering  life.  Wisely  estimating  his  own  abilities, 
however,  he  chose  to  continue  his  studies  and  enter  the  broader 
field  of  usefulness  awaiting  his  future. 

In  1854,  five  years  after  leaving  Hamilton,  he  entered  the 
Christian  ministry  as  a  graduate  of  Auburn. 

An  early  friend.  Rev.  Walter  V.  Couch,  of  San  Diego,  California, 
writing  of  him  lately  says  :  "  I  knew  him  in  college  ;  but  did  not 
know  him  intimately  until  we  met  in  the  Seminary  at  Auburn. 
Although  scarcely  any  older,  he  was  much  more  mature  than  I. 
That  was  a  characteristic  that  impressed  itself  upon  me  at  the 
beginning  of  my  acquaintance  with  him — his  ripeness  of  character. 
He  had  a  judgment  that  was  almost  faultless.     That  and  his  purity 

18 


of  character  and  steadfastness  of  principle  gave  him  his  great 
influence  over  his  brethren,  and  his  weight  in  ecclesiastical  councils. 
His  sterling  character  added  force  to  his  words  in  the  pulpit  as  well 
as  in  the  judicatories  of  the  church." 

Soon  after  graduation,  his  ministerial  life  began  in  Otisco,  N.  Y., 
where  his  funereal  propensities  suffered  check  a  score  of  years 
before.  In  early  days  this  was  a  flourishing  church  ;  now  it  numbers 
but  little  over  a  hundred  members.  The  edifice  stood  in  the  midst 
of  a  modest  hamlet,  remote  from  railways  and  "madding  crowds,'-' 
surrounded  by  the  picturesque  hills  and  hollows  of  Onondaga 
county. 

To  this  secluded  country  parish  he  brought  his  bride,  Mary 
Wadsworth,  daughter  of  Rev.  Charles  and  Tryphena  Isham  Wads- 
worth,  of  Richfield  Springs,  N.  Y.,  to  whom  he  was  married 
November  21,  1854.  Her  personal  attractions,  winning  manner, 
and  Christian  character  secured  the  respect  and  love  of  those  who 
knew  her. 

After  preaching  as  stated  supply  for  about  a  year  and  a  half  at 
Otisco,  Providence  opened  for  him  a  way  to  Mount  Morris  which 
proved  to  be  the  scene  of  his  life-work ;  but  he  ever  retained  an 
affectionate  interest  in  the  welfare  of  that  first  charge  on  bleak 
Otisco  Hill. 


19 


Mmxnt  MtivvxB  faainrat^. 


"The  transcendent  importance  of  the  pastoral  relation  is  only  seen  when  viewed 
in  the  light  of  eternity. " 

—  Levi  Parsons. 


IN  these  clays  of  frequent  changes  it  is  pleasant  to  note  a  pastorate 
possessing  a  degree  of  stability  and  permanence.  A  relation 
so  important  as  that  between  pastor  and  people  should  gain  in 
power  and  richness  with  every  passing  year.  Such  a  ministry  was 
that  portrayed  by  the  poet  Goldsmith,  whose  description  of  the 
village  preacher,  after  the  lapse  of  a  century,  still  charms  the  imagi- 
nation, still  touches  the  heart — 

"His  ready  smile  a  parent's  warmth  expressed. 
Their  welfare  pleased  him,  and  their  cares  distressed ; 
To  them  his  heart,  his  love,  his  griefs  were  given. 
But  all  his  serious  thoughts  had  rest  in  heaven." 

Such  a  life,  such  scenes  are  not  the  fancies  of  the  poet's  brain ; 
rather  are  they  the  beautiful  realities  which  rightly  crown  any 
pastorate  of  many  years.  For  by  lifelong  service  in  behalf  of  one 
people,  a  pastor  becomes  so  intimately  associated  with  their  joys  and 
sorrows,  their  hopes,  their  cares  and  aspirations,  that  a  tie  is  formed 
like  that  of  a  father  to  beloved  children,  to  be  terminated  at  last  by 
death  alone. 

In  the  matter  of  long  pastorates  Western  New  York  has  an 
honorable  record.     Prominent  among  them  is  that  of  the  Rev.  Levi 

21 


Parsons,  D.D.,  for  forty-five  years  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Mount  Morris,  N.  Y. 

In  December  of  1855,  he  preached  in  Mount  Morris  as  a  candi- 
date, which  resulted  in  his  engagement  to  fill  the  pulpit  as  stated 
supply  for  six  months.  His  term  of  service  began  on  the  first 
Sabbath  of  the  succeeding  February  ;  three  months  later  by  a  prac- 
tically unanimous  vote  he  was  invited  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church. 
One  brother  objected  to  his  installation  on  the  ground  that  he 
looked  like  a  sickly  young  man  and  might  not  live  long ;  but  the 
brother  departed  for  another  world  thirty  years  before  the  "sickly 
young  man." 

The  call  was  made  out  and  subscribed  to  by  the  members  of  the 
session.     It  was  as  follows  : 

The  congregation  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  in  Mount 
Morris,  being  on  sufficient  grounds  well  satisfied  of  the  ministerial 
qualifications  of  you,  Mr.  Levi  Parsons,  Jr.,  and  having  good  hopes 
from  our  past  experience  of  your  labors  that  your  ministrations  in  the 
Gospel  will  be  profitable  to  our  spiritual  interests,  do  earnestly  call 
and  desire  you  to  undertake  the  pastoral  office  in  said  congregation  ; 
promising  you  in  the  discharge  of  your  duty  all  proper  support, 
encouragement,  and  obedience  in  the  Lord.  And  that  you  may  be 
free  from  worldly  cares  and  avocations  we  hereby  promise  and  oblige 
ourselves  to  pay  you  the  sum  of  seven  hundred  dollars  annually  in 
regular  quarterly  payments,  during  the  time  of  your  being  and  con- 
tinuing the  regular  pastor  of  this  church.  In  testimony  whereof  we 
have  respectively  subscribed  our  names  this  28th  day  of  April,  A.D. 
1856. 

James  Conkey, 
Marsena  Allen, 
Stilwell  Burroughs, 
Milo  H.  Maltbie, 
L.  J.  Ames, 

Members  of  Session. 

To  the  fact  and  doings  above  stated  I  hereby  testify  as  Moder- 
ator of  the  meeting. 

Pliny  ¥.  Sanborne. 

22 


The  call  being'  accepted,  household  goods  were  removed  to  the 
new  home  and  life  began  hopefully,  though  the  outlook  for  a  young 
man,  barely  twenty-seven,  was  somewhat  formidable. 

Of  the  fifteen  predecessors  who  had  ministered  to  the  church 
since  its  formation  in  1814,  but  four  had  been  regularly  installed 
pastors  and  only  one  had  managed  to  remain  as  long  as  seven  years. 
The  majority,  after  a  more  or  less  prolonged  struggle,  sought  other 
fields  of  labor.  Permanence  in  the  pastoral  relation  was  the  last 
thing  expected.  The  church  was  laden  with  a  debt  of  three  thousand 
dollars  as  a  result  of  building  the  present  edifice,  and  there  was 
division  in  the  fold.  The  prospect  required  courage,  resolution,  dil- 
igence, and  tact. 

On  the  morning  of  July  loth  he  was  ordained  and  installed  pastor 
by  Ontario  Presbytery.  The  service  ojjened  with  invocation  and 
reading  of  Scripture  by  Rev.  J.  R.  Page  of  Perry.  Prof.  E.  A. 
Huntington,  D.  U.,  of  Auburn  Seminary,  offered  prayer.  Dr. 
Kendall,  subsequently  secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Home 
Missions,  preached  the  sermon  from  Rev.  iv.  8-1 1.  The  moderator, 
Dr.  Barnard  of  Lima,  proposed  the  constitutional  questions  and 
offered  the  ordaining  prayer.  The  charge  to  the  people  was  given 
by  Rev.  P.  F.  Sanborne ;  that  to  the  pastor,  by  his  father.  Rev.  Levi 
Parsons,  Sr.,  then  advanced  in  years.  Of  him  Prof.  S.  M.  Hopkins, 
D.  D.,  of  Auburn,  said:  "In  his  character  as  a  Christian  and  a 
minister,  there  was  happily  blended  strict  orthodoxy  with  evangelical 
charity,  ecclesiastical  enterprise  with  great  personal  modesty,  sound 
wisdom  with  marked  simplicity,  and  he  filled  a  long  life  with  abun- 
dant labors  and  activities."  A  portion  of  his  impressive  charge  is 
here  given : 

"An  ordination  occasion  is  always  very  interesting  and  solemn  ; 
but  the  present  is  to  me  peculiarly  so.  Having  been  engaged  in 
preaching  the  gospel  for  a  period  of  fifty  years,  and  as  I  am  now 
closing  my  ministerial  labors,  it  is  a  very  consoling  consideration 
that  this  my  son  now  comes  forward  and  consecrates  himself  to  the 

23 


work  of  the  ministry,  and  with  favorable  prospects  of  usefuhicss  is 
this  day  placed  over  this  people  as  their  pastor. 

"  By  appointment  of  Presbytery,  it  becomes  my  duty  on  this 
occasion  to  give  the  charge  to  the  pastor. 

"My  Dear  Son — You  having  been,  in  the  providence  of  God, 
directed  to  this  place,  and  having  been  set  apart  to  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  Ministry,  by  prayer  and  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  Pres- 
bytery, and  having  been  placed  over  this  people  as  their  pastor,  I 
would  now,  as  your  father,  earnestly  and  affectionately  exhort  you, 
and  in  behalf  of  the  Presbytery,  and  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  under  whose  authority  we  act,  I  would  solemnly  charge  you 
to  be  faithful  in  discharging  the  duties  of  the  holy  ministry. 

"In  the  first  place  I  would  exhort  you  to  be  faithful  to  your  own 
soul.  Be  eminently  a  man  of  prayer.  Cultivate  a  spirit  of  ardent 
and  devoted  piety.  This  is  of  first  importance,  as  it  respects  your 
usefulness  in  the  ministry.  In  vain  will  you  attempt  to  describe  the 
beauties  of  holiness,  unless  you  are  able  to  discern  its  beauties  your- 
self. In  vain  will  you  attempt  to  direct  sinners  to  Jesus,  unless  you 
are  personally  conversant  with  the  way.  If  you  would  expect  to  be 
a  successful  preacher,  you  must  be  a  man  of  active  and  fervent  piety. 
In  your  intercessions  with  God,  never  forget  that  precious  and 
immortal  souls  are  committed  to  your  care.  Commend  them  affec- 
tionately to  the  God  of  all  grace. 

"  Be  a  man  of  study.  *  *  You  will  not  be  able  for  any  length 
of  time  to  answer  the  expectations  of  this  people,  only  as  you  pay 
constant  attention  to  literature.  While  you  will  pay  suitable  atten- 
tion to  the  branches  of  science  which  are  not  strictly  theological,  it 
is  in  sacred  literature  that  we  would  exhort  you  to  be  a  proficient. 
If  you  would  be  an  eminently  useful  minister,  you  must,  by  your 
varied  and  extensive  reading  and  your  close  attention  to  study  '  let 
your  profiting  appear  unto  all.'    . 

"It  is  the  appropriate  business  of  the  minister  to  preach  the 
gospel.  To  this  end  it  is  necessary  that  you  should  clearly  illustrate 
and  enforce  the  great  truths  of  revealed  religion.     *     *     While  you 

24 


will  carefully  avoid  being  wise  above  what  is  written,  or  attempting 
to  fathom  the  deep  things  of  God,  you  will  at  the  same  time  plainly 
preach  the  truth,  as  you  find  it  revealed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
Remember,  my  dear  son,  you  serve  a  holy  and  a  jealous  God,  who  will 
not  suffer  his  word  to  be  handled  deceitfully.  You  are  to  preach 
the  preaching  which  God  bids  you ;  and  though  you  find  doctrines 
in  the  Bible,  offensive  to  the  carnal  mind,  included  in  the  general 
commission  to  preach  the  gospel,  still  you  will  not  find  yourself 
warranted  in  making  exceptions. 

"  In  your  public  preaching  and  in  your  more  familiar  intercourse 
with  your  people  ever  be  careful  to  avoid  giving  unnecessary  offence, 
either  by  harshness  and  severity  of  expression,  or  by  invidious  per- 
sonalities. *  *  Address  them  tenderly  and  affectionately,  as  one 
who  takes  a  deep  interest  in  their  welfare,  as  one  who  loves  them 
and  sincerely  desires  their  salvation. 

"In  nothing  seek  the  applause  of  men.  Let  motives  of  a  higher 
and  nobler  nature  sway  in  your  breast.  Seek  to  please  God ;  seek 
that  honor  which  cometh  from  God  only.  In  view  of  prevailing 
errors,  and  especially  such  as  are  very  dangerous  and  subversive  of 
the  very  fundamentals  of  the  gospel,  you,  as  a  watchman  for  Zion, 
must  sound  the  alarm  and  at  all  times  stand  forth  boldly  in  vindi- 
cation of  the  truth.     *     *     * 

"  Finally,  in  all  things  pertaining  to  the  holy  ministry,  we 
solemnly  charge  you  to  be  faithful.  Constantly  keep  in  view  the 
responsibilities  of  your  station.  And  let  the  consideration  of  your 
high  and  holy  vocation,  and  of  the  immense  importance  of  the 
ministry  of  reconciliation,  involving  the  eternal  interests  of  man, 
draw  forth  the  strongest,  and  the  most  devoted  affections  of  your 
soul.    Remember,  that  you  are  laboring  not  for  time  merely,  but  for 

eternity. 

"Behold,  My  Dear  Son — the  congregation — the  flock,  over 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  this  day  made  you  the  overseer.  Oh,  be 
faithful  to  this  people.  It  is  not  their  temporal  welfare  merely,  but 
it  is  especially  their  spiritual  welfare,  the  eternal  interest  of  their 
souls,  their  final  salvation,  that  you  are  to  seek. 

25 


"  Reflect  on  the  solemn  account  you  must  one  day  render  to  the 
great  Judge  of  quick  and  of  dead,  of  the  manner  in  which  you  dis- 
charge the  duties  of  the  ministry.  Therefore,  be  faithful,  that 
when  the  Chief  Shepherd  shall  appear  you  may  receive  a  crown  of 
glory  that  fadeth  not  away.  " 

All  things  seemed  to  smile  upon  the  new  relation,  when  sudden- 
ly, after  a  brief  illness,  his  wife  was  taken  from  him  on  the  morning 
of  August  2nd,  leaving  a  motherless  little  boy  a  few  months  old. 
She  had  already  endeared  herself  to  the  community,  who  evinced 
the  utmost  respect  for  her  memory  and  sympathy  for  the  bereaved 
husband. 

The  funeral  services,  conducted  by  Rev.  Dr.  Shaw,  of  Roch- 
ester, were  held  in  the  church,  which  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capac- 
ity with  sympathising  friends  from  far  and  near. 

This  unexpected  blow  was  a  great  shock  to  the  young  pastor, 
who  had  entered  upon  his  work  with  such  bright  anticipations  of  the 
future,  leading  him  to  realize  more  deeply  "how  little  we  know  what 
the  Lord  may  have  in  store  for  us." 

In  the  first  year  of  the  pastorate  a  powerful  revival  swept  the 
country,  resulting  in  a  large  addition  to  the  church  in  Mt.  Morris. 
Two  years  later,  following  a  great  commercial  revulsion,  a  second 
very  general  revival  occurred,  which  was  promoted  by  the  agency  of 
prayer  meetings,  there  being  very  little  preaching  aside  from  that  on 
Sabbath.  In  this  place  daily  union  prayer  meetings  were  held  at 
eight  o'clock  in  the  morning  for  six  weeks  in  succession,  and  it  was 
amazing  to  witness  the  crowds  that  gathered. 

The  years  1864,  '70,  '78  and  '96  were  also  especially  blessed  by 
ingatherings,  though  few  communion  seasons  passed  without 
additions. 

His  marriage  to  Harriet  M.  Pease,  youngest  daughter  of  Rev. 
Lorenzo  and  Lucinda  Leonard  Pease,  occurred  September  14,  1858. 
Mr.  Pease  was  born  at  Hinsdale,  Mass.,  in  1809,  but  removed  to 
Auburn  with  his  parents  in  181 1.     He  was  a  graduate  of  Hamilton 

26 


College  and  Auburn  Seminary.  In  1834  he  married  Lucinda 
Leonard  whose  parents  were  also  early  residents  of  Auburn.  In 
Auf^ust  of  '34  they  sailed  as  missionaries  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  to 
the  Greeks  in  Cyprus.  Interesting  records  are  still  preserved  of  his 
missionary  work  and  archeological  investigations  on  that  island, 
while  an  unfinished  Greek  grammar  bears  able  testimony  to  his 
scholarship.  The  work,  which  began  happily  and  earnestly,  was 
terminated  five  years  later  by  the  sudden  death  of  the  young  mis- 
sionary. He  was  greatly  beloved  by  the  people  to  whom  he  had 
devoted  his  life,  and  was  buried  in  the  churchyard  of  St.  Lazarus, 
Larnaca,  with  every  mark  of  respect  from  priests  and  dignitaries, 
amid  general  lamentation.  Mrs.  Pease  returned  to  this  country  to 
educate  her  two  little  daughters,  sparing  no  pains  to  gain  for  them 
the  best  advantages  afforded  at  that  day.  The  youngest  daughter, 
Harriet,  becoming  proficient  in  art  and  music,  at  an  early  age 
taught  the  same  in  a  school  for  young  ladies  at  Hornellsville,  com- 
ing from  there  to  take  the  responsible  position  of  pastor's  wife. 

During  the  first  six  years  of  this  pastorate  the  church,  in  accord- 
ance with  what  was  then  the  usual  custom,  held  its  second  Sabbath 
service  at  half  past  one  in  the  afternoon.  In  addition  to  these  two 
sermons  it  was  also  expected  that  the  pastor  would  lecture  in  the 
evening  excepting  when  the  missionary  concerts  occurred.  Very 
little,  however,  was  then  expected  of  him  in  the  Sabbath  School 
which,  composed  almost  exclusively  of  children  and  their  teachers, 
met  in  the  gallery  under  the  superintendancy  of  Judge  Hastings. 
"After  1 861  the  pastor  co-operated  with  the  school,  and  indeed 
prior  to  that  time  was  accustomed  to  hold  Bible  classes  at  private 
houses  during  the  week  as  well  as  to  lecture  in  school  houses  in  the 
remoter  parts  of  the  parish.  " 

The  prayer  meetings  were  held  in  the  draughty  church  vestibule, 
the  organ  room,  or  a  hired  room  in  the  old  Empire  Block  until  the 
pastor  desperately  determined  to  gather  funds  for  a  small  building 
which  might  be  more  easily  heated.  This,  known  by  the  good 
Presb)terian     names    of    Lecture     Room    or    Session   House,    was 

27 


dedicated   November  14th,  1861,  in  the  early  part  of  the  civil  war. 

The  fierce  controversies  of  the  slavery  question  which  preceded 
that  strife,  and  the  four  years  of  terrible  warfare  were  instrumental 
in  severing  many  a  pastoral  relation.  "Those  were  days,"  as  Dr. 
Parsons  once  said,  "when  people  honestly  differing  in  opinion  felt 
very  intensely,  rendering  it  extremely  difficult  for  a  pastor  to  exer- 
cise true  courage  in  upholding  the  government,  without  giving 
serious  offence."  That  this  pastorate  was  able  to  endure  and  come 
out  all  the  stronger  for  that  prolonged  strain,  speaks  volumes  for 
the  mutual  forbearance  as  well  as  for  the  mutual  regard  of  both 
parties. 

During  the  war  he  went  to  the  hospital  at  City  Point,  Va.,  under 
appointment  of  the  Christian  Commission  to  assist  in  caring  for  the 
wounded,  and  it  was  always  a  satisfaction  to  him  that  he  could  be 
of  use  during  that  great  struggle.  He,  himself,  was  drafted  in  '65, 
but  the  svu'render  which  occurred  soon  after  prevented  his  seeing 
active  service. 

February  5th,  1865,  he  entered  upon  the  tenth  year  of  his 
pastorate  and  at  that  time  delivered  an  anniversary  sermon,  giving 
a  brief  synopsis  of  what  had  been  accomplished  during  his  ministry, 
from  which  we  quote  : 


"On  April  ist,  1856,  which  was  soon  after  I  commenced  my 
labors,  this  church  reported  to  Presbytery  168  communicants,  while 
by  our  recent  report  there  are  251  members.  *  *  As  to  the 
relative  numbers  who  may  be  regarded  members  of  the  congrega- 
tion then  and  now,  we  of  course  have  no  accurate  data,  but  probably 
our  congregations  now  are  from  a  fifth  to  a  fourth  larger  than  at 
that  time.  *  *  In  respect  of  the  temporalities  of  the  church 
also  the  past  nine  years  have  not  been  fruitless  of  progress.  An 
additional  lot  of  land  to  enlarge  the  premises  of  the  church  has  been 
purchased,  a  convenient  row  of  sheds  has  been  built,  together  with 
fences  and  walks,  a  heavy  debt  has  been  paid,  a  commodious  lecture 
room  has  been  erected  and  an  organ  has  been  purchased.  *  * 
During  this  period  not  far  from  $2,700  have  been  contributed  for 
benevolent  purposes  of  a  missionar}'  character,  not  far  from  $6,000 

28 


have  been  paid  for  extra  congrcf^ational  purposes  and  about  $9,500 
for  the  ordinary  expenses  of  the  con<^regation,  making  a  total  of 
;^ 1 8,200  or  an  average  of  about  $2,000  a  year.  *  *  During  the 
past  year  on  the  29th  day  of  April  this  church  entered  upon  the 
second  half  century  of  its  history.  Of  the  original  fourteen  mem- 
bers all  have  passed  away  by  death.  And  of  all  those  who  were 
members  during  the  first  twenty  years,  numbering  about  300,  only 
twenty  still  retain  their  connection  with  us.  *  *  Of  the  revival 
during  the  past  year,  one  of  the  happy  fruits  worthy  of  special  men- 
tion is  a  prayer  meeting  of  lads  about  fifteen  years  of  age,  number- 
ing some  eight  or  ten  and  conducted  by  one  of  our  Sabbath  School 
teachers,  Mr.  S.  L.  Rockfellow,  which  has  been  quite  uniformly 
sustained.  This  is  one  of  the  excellent  methods  of  continuing  the 
precious  influences  of  a  revival.  *  *  Nor  in  the  revievi^  of  the 
past  year  would  I  fail  to  mention  your  care  for  me  in  several  volun- 
tary donations  aside  from  my  regular  salary.  The  greatly  increased 
expenses  of  living  have  rendered  this  aid  very  acceptable  in  a 
pecuniary  point  of  view,  but  superadded  to  that  my  heart  has  been 
cheered  by  regarding  it  as  an  evidence  of  your  personal  attachment." 


His  father's  death  occurred  November  20th,  1864,  during  his 
absence  at  City  Point,  and  the  following  spring  he  was  appointed  to 
take  his  father's  place  as  trustee  of  Auburn  Theological  Seminaiy. 
For  eighty  years  no  catalogue  of  that  institution  appeared  without 
the  name  of  Levi  Parsons  on  its  Board  of  Trustees. 

The  growing  esteem  in  which  he  was  held,  was  again  shown  dur- 
ing the  same  year  by  his  appointment  as  member  of  the  Board  of 
Councillors  of  Ingham  University.  Later  he  declined  an  urgent 
invitation  to  become  chancellor  of  that  school.  He  was  also  a 
trustee  of  the  old  Temple  Hill  Academy  at  Geneseo. 

Those  were  the  days  of  the  Old  School  and  the  New  School, 
terms  intelligible  only  to  the  theologically  wise  of  the  present 
generation  ;  but  of  greatest  consequence  to  our  grandparents.  The 
reunion  of  these  two  branches  after  a  separation  of  thirty-two  years 
made  the  year  1869  memorable  in  the  history  of  American  Presby- 
terianism.  As  member  of  the  Philadelphia  Assembly  the  elder 
Levi  Parsons  witnessed  that  parting  and  went  the  New  School  way ; 

29 


his  son,  as  delegate  to  the  great  New  York  and  Pittsburg  Assem- 
bhes,  assisted  in  bringing  about  the  happy  event  which  he  jubilantly 
mentions  in  his  journal  as  "A  Great  Day  for  Presbyterians." 

A  general  reconstruction  of  synods  and  presbyteries  followed. 
At  the  formation  of  Rochester  Presbytery,  which  occurred  at  this 
time,  Rev.  Levi  Parsons,  of  Mount  Morris,  by  appointment  of  synod, 
convened  the  Presbytery  and  presided  as  moderator  over  its  first 
meeting,  when  he  was  elected  stated  clerk,  which  office  he  retained 
until  his  death,  a  period  of  thirty  years.  His  calm,  good  judgment 
and  thorough  knowledge  of  church  laws  and  usage  placed  him 
among  the  valuable  and  influential  men  of  his  Presbytery,  and  made 
its  records  the  model  of  accuracy  throughout  the  synod,  while  his 
annual  statistical  reports  to  the  General  Assembly  ranked  among 
the  few  perfect  ones  presented  to  that  body. 

In  1874  his  Alma  Mater,  Hamilton  College,  conferred  upon  him 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  an  honor  which  was  a  complete 
surprise  to  himself  and  a  matter  of  great  satisfaction  to  his  friends. 
The  pastor  of  one  of  the  sister  churches  in  the  village  only  voiced 
the  popular  feeling  when  he  said  in  a  communication  to  a  local 
paper:  "While  the  much  esteemed  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
is  moving  steadily  on  to  consummate  in  a  little,  a  score  of  years 
spent  in  Mount  Morris,  a  word  is  not  out  of  place  expressive  of  the 
cfenuine  and  uniform  esteem  in  which  he  has  been  held  and  is  held. 
Hamilton  College  did  itself  no  discredit  in  giving  our  brother  the 
well  earned  title  of  D.D.  With  admiration  and  reverence  we  look 
upon  him,  and  shall  take  genuine  comfort  in  calling  him  '  Doctor. ' 
It  will  make  no  difference  in  the  man,  and  he  will  never  seem  con- 
scious of  the  dignity  imposed  upon  him.  With  all  a  brother's  heart, 
a  younger  and  inexperienced  pastor  desires  to  say,  'God  bless 
Doctor  Parsons. 

This  clipping  illustrates  the  amicable  relations  which  ever 
existed  between  Dr.  Parsons  and  the  other  clergy  of  the  town.  In 
the  early  days  of  his  ministry,  a  regular  weekly  minister's  meeting- 
rotated  between  the  studies  of  the  Baptist,  Methodist,  Episcopalian 

30 


and  Presbyterian  brethren,  beautifully  exemplifying  the  doctrine  of 
Christian  Unity,  and  although  in  later  years  this  meeting  was  given 
up,  the  graces  of  tolerance  and  fraternal  intercourse  continued  to 
flourish. 

The  twentieth  anniversary  of  his  pastorate  was  celebrated  in 
1876  by  a  reception,  a  brief  description  of  which  is  given  in  a  letter 
to  his  sister : 

"  The  New  York  Evangelist  of  week  before  last  gives  an  account 
of  our  'surprise. '  It  was  indeed  a  great  surprise  to  us  both.  Wife 
and  I  went  to  Mrs.  Hastings'  in  response  to  an  invitation  to  take  tea 
with  Brother  Page,  with  the  assurance  that  they  would  have  their 
tea  in  time  for  us  to  reach  our  evening  service.  I  began  to  be 
uneasy  lest  their  tea  should  be  too  late,  when  Mrs.  Hattie  McNair 
invited  us  to  step  into  the  dining  room.  On  entering  we  found  the 
crowd  and  were  soon  met  with  congratulations  on  the  twentieth  anni- 
versary of  my  pastorate.  The  rooms  were  decorated — one  motto, 
'Hitherto  the  Lord  hath  led  us, '  and  another 'Abide  with  us. ' 
Brother  Page  had  been  secured  to  make  the  presentation  speech. 
Two  large  easy  chairs,  (one  for  wife)  and  a  rich  study  gown  were 
presented,  and  some  money  was  afterwards  quietly  handed  wife  to 
get  covers  for  the  chairs  and  some  memorials  of  the  occasion  for  the 
children.  This  was  the  week  of  the  society  meeting  and  as  usual  I  had 
been  feeling  quite  depressed;  of  course  the  transition  was  very  great. 
The  parish  was  quite  generally  represented,  about  two  hundred  by 
actual  count.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Sprague  were  over  from  Geneseo. 
The  evening  meeting  was  only  in  another  place.  " 

In  June  of  the  following  year  Dr.  Parsons  .sailed  for  Scotland  as 
delegate  to  the  first  Pan-Pre.sbyterian  council,  whose  sessions  were 
held  in  Edinburgh,  the  home  of  Knox,  of  Chalmers,  of  Guthrie,  and 
of  many  another  brave  defender  of  the  faith.  It  was  a  goodly  out- 
ing for  a  country  minister  who  had  been  busily  engaged  in  culti- 
vating his  corner  of  the  vineyard  for  one  and  twenty  years.  The 
voyage  over  in  company  with  that  congenial  band  of  forty  brethren 
of  different  Presbyterian  stripes  was  in  itself  vastly  refreshing, 
intellectually  as  well  as  religiously.  Not  since  his  experiences  in 
the  City  Point  hospital  had  he  enjoyed  so  long  a  vacation   as   that 

31 


which  now  opened  before  him.  In  the  early  days  of  his  ministry  he 
took  no  vacation,  the  pulpit  being  filled  always  during  his  infrequent 
absences  by  means  of  an  exchange  with  some  brother  desirous  of 
visiting  friends  in  these  regions.  August  was  then  the  time  of  all 
the  year  for  large  congregations.  And  later,  when  the  custom  of 
annual  vacations  grew  more  common,  the  church  was  never  closed 
for  more  than  three  Sabbaths  of  the  year,  so  that  this  recess  from 
the  numerous  cares  and  responsibilities  incident  to  his  active  life 
was  a  welcome  interval  of  rest,  into  the  joys  of  which  he  entered 
with  an  almost  boyish  zest. 

"It  hardly  seems  possible, "  he  wrote  to  his  home  friends 
on  landing,  "that  I  am  indeed  in  Old  Scotland,  the  land  which  in 
past  centuries  has  witnessed  so  much  strife  and  contention.  I  see  so 
much  that  is  interesting  that  I  am  almost  as  much  puzzled  what  to 
write  as  though  I  had  seen  nothing.  The  atmosphere  is  a  real  tonic. 
Poets  in  this  land,  breathing  this  air,  ought  to  write  the  best  of 
poetry  ;  and  preachers,  to  preach  the  best  of  sermons.  The  weather, 
however,  is  not  perfection,  as  the  multitude  of  umbrellas  seen  on  the 
street  attest.  Even  on  a  bright  morning  a  man  would  almost  as 
soon  go  a  mile  without  his  hat  as  without  his  umbrella.  Again  ten 
or  fifteen  degrees  more  of  heat  and  an  occasional  subsidence  of  the 
wind  would  not  be  unacceptable.  The  inhabitants  here  seem  to 
have  the  impression  that  it  is  summer,  as  they  resort  to  the  seaside 
for  bathing  ;  while  we  Americans  with  our  flannels  and  overcoats 
are  inclined  to  question  whether  they  have  not  lost  their  reckoning. 

"On  the  morning  of  our  arrival  at  Glasglow  we  lost  no  time  in 
taking  the  cars  for  Loch  Lomond,  and  the  subsequent  trip  by 
steamer,  coach  and  car  to  Loch  Katrine,  the  Trossacks  and  Stirling. 
These  lakes  are  far  famed  for  their  beauty  and  deservedly  so.  The 
mountain  scenery  with  which  they  are  surrounded  of  course  adds  a 
grandeur  which  we  do  not  find  in  our  lakes  of  Central  and  Western 
New  York.  The  Trossacks,  celebrated  for  its  v/ildness,  afforded  us 
with  its  smooth  road  and  fine  horses  one  of  the  most  delightful 
coach  drives  we  have  ever  taken.     They  have  a  way  of  so  construct- 

32 


ing  a  coach  with  its  inside  out  as  to  afford  all  the  passengers  the 
privilege  of  deck  passage ;  a  way  too  of  putting  their  horses  upon 
a  keen  gallop  that  is  suggestive  of  accident  insurance  policies. 

"At  Stirling  the  chief  point  of  interest,  of  course,  is  the  Old 
Castle  whose  history  is  interwoven  with  that  of  Scotland  itself. 
But  the  interest  of  the  place  is  not  limited  to  historical  associations.  I 
think  I  never  viewed  so  rich  a  landscape  as  from  the  walls  of  the  castle 
was  spread  out  before  us  in  the  broad  valley,  and  all  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  Returning  to  Glasgow  the  same  evening  about 
ten  o'clock,  we  were  still  favored  with  daylight  but  concluded  we 
had  seen  enough  for  one  day.  The  next  two  days  we  devoted  to 
Glasgow  and  neighboring  points. 

"July  2,  'yj.  We  came  to  Edinburgh  on  Saturday,  June  30th, 
passing  through  a  very  interesting  agricultural  portion  of  Scotland. 
Yesterday,  Sabbath,  we  heard  Dr.  Bonar,  who  has  written  some  of 
those  sweet  hymns  to  be  found  in  our  book.  After  the  sermon  we 
went  to  the  vestry  and  introduced  ourselves.  The  church  to  which 
he  preaches  discards  the  use  of  hymns.  The  quietness  of  the  Sab- 
bath and  the  church-going  habits  of  the  people  are  very  noticeable. 
I  am  assigned  as  the  guest  of  Mr.  Forbes,  No.  5  Whitehouse  Ter- 
race, about  two  miles  from  Assembly  Hall,  with  the  expectation 
of  going  there  sometime  to-morrow.  Thus  far  I  have  been  staying 
at  the  hotel.  The  opening  sermon  of  the  Council  was  preached  in 
St.  Giles  church,  famous  as  the  place  where  John  Knox  made  his 
rousing  appeals. 

"July  5.  Our  Americans  are  doing  splendidly  in  the  Council. 
I  am  proud  of  my  countrymen. 

"July  9.  Yesterday  in  the  afternoon  I  preached  to  a  large  con- 
gregation in  Moray  church  for  the  pastor,  Mr.  Glendenning,  who 
very  politely  invited  me  to  dine  with  him,  which  I  did.  I  am  not 
quite  so  much  in  love  with  the  weather  here  as  I  was  on  first  coming 
to  Edinburgh.  It  rains  so  much  and  clouds  prevail,  and  to-day  I  have 
worn  my  thick  overcoat  besides  having  on  my  flannels.  The  sessions 
of  the  Council  have  been  held  in  the  large  hall  owned  by  the  Free 

33 


church  and  occupied  by  them  for  their  yearly  meetings,  and  capable 
of  accommodating  about  two  thousand.  Admission  was  by  tickets 
at  about  five  shillings  for  the  course,  and  large  numbers  were  dis- 
appointed in  not  being  able  to  secure  these  tickets,  so  great  was  the 
rush.  The  meeting  was  a  success  beyond  the  expectation  of  those 
by  whom  it  was  projected ;  many  very  able  papers  were  read  and 
many  eloquent  speeches  made.  It  was  indeed  a  rich  treat,  which  I 
expect  to  enjoy  all  the  more  as  in  the  quiet  of  my  study  I  shall 
review  the  proceedings.  Have  been  delighted  with  my  stopping 
place  in  Edinburgh.  Our  memories  of  this  most  interesting  city  will 
ever  be  all  the  more  delightful  as  associated  with  the  comforts  and 
luxuries  of  this  Scottish  home,  whose  bountiful  hospitality  we  have 
shared." 

After  seven  days  of  conference,  enriched  with  the  wisdom  and 
spiritual  thought  of  some  of  the  world's  most  eminent  scholars  and 
divines,  the  First  Pan-Presbyterian  Council  adjourned  July  loth. 
The  following  morning.  Dr.  Parsons  in  company  with  other  members 
left  for  Melrose  and  Dryburgh  Abbeys. 

"From  thence  we  walked  some  three  miles,"  he  says  in  a  home 
letter,  "to  the  residence  of  Lord  Polwarth,  where  we  were  intro- 
duced to  his  lordship,  a  very  plain,  unpretentious  man,  as  well  as  to 
Lady  Polwarth,  who  is  the  mother  of  an  interesting  group  of  children. 
It  was  in  response  to  their  invitation  that  nearly  two  hundred  of  the 
Council  and  their  friends  met  at  their  mansion  for  a  Christian  con- 
ference. All  these  partook  of  a  bountiful  lunch  on  their  arrival  as 
well  as  of  supper  just  before  their  return ;  while  the  people  from  the 
neighborhood  to  the  number  of  several  hundred  were  provided  with 
refreshments  in  a  pleasant  grove  not  far  from  the  house.  The 
grounds,  located  on  the  banks  of  the  Tweed,  reminded  me  of  the 
Murray  place  [Mount  Morris],  and  though  more  extensive  were  not 
as  beautiful  as  the  latter." 

In  company  with  Rev.  Messrs.  Gaston,  Preston,  Scovel  and 
Sanborne  he  started  next  day  for  London  and  a  short  continental  trip. 
They    reached    Paris    on    the   evening  of  July  i6th   in  a  somewhat 

34 


dilapidated  condition,  having  undergone  the  usual  vicissitudes  con- 
nected with  crossing  the  channel.  Of  the  sights,  scenes  and 
experiences  of  the  next  five  weeks  we  will  content  ourselves  with 
fragmentary  jottings. 

"Paris,  July  20.  This  is  a  delightful  city.  The  streets  seem 
more  cleanly  as  a  rule  than  any  other  city  I  was  ever  in.  We  have 
been  impressed  with  the  spaciousness  of  the  avenues  and  the  extent 
of  the  parks,  gardens,  forests  and  driving  courses.  Were  you  to 
think  of  all  Livingston  county  thus  laid  out  I  question  whether  your 
idea  would  be  much  in  excess  of  the  reality  which  was  spread  out 
before  us  as  we  took  our  stand  on  the  top  of  the  Triumphal  Arch, 
some  150  feet  high,  erected  by  Napoleon  in  commemoration  of  his 
victories.  As  we  see  the  people  in  the  streets  they  are  well  behaved — 
no  rowdyism,  not  a  drunken  man  have  we  met  in  Paris. 

"We  went  with  others  to  view  the  catacombs,  which  are  said  to 
be  better  than  those  at  Rome.  The  whole  distance  underground  is 
a  mile.  I  am  not  sorry  I  went,  though  I  think  once  will  answer  for 
a  lifetime.  My  conception  of  the  catacombs  up  to  this  time  has 
been  somewhat  vague.     Now  it  is  altogether  distinct  and  vivid. 

"Our  efforts  to  thread  our  way  through  the  streets  and  to  supply 
our  wants  are  sometimes  quite  amusing,   inasmuch  as  we  are  quite 

ignorant  of  the  language.     At  one  restaurant  Bro. wanted  milk 

for  his  coffee  and  made  various  gestures  to  make  the  waiter  under- 
stand. At  length  the  waiter  seemed  to  say  *I  understand  you  now,' 
started  off  and  brought  him  a  bottle  of  brandy.  I  leave  you  to 
imagine  the  roar  of  laughter  at  the  table. 

"Turin,  July  24.  We  have  passed  through  a  section  of  the  far- 
famed  Alps.  I  had  thought  of  the  Alps  as  presenting  a  grand  but 
desolate  appearance,  but  all  along  our  route  they  seemed  to  furnish 
a  background  to  the  social  life  of  a  rich  agricultural  region.  In  the 
matter  of  grandeur  I  was  surprised  at  the  almost  endless  combi- 
nations which  were  successively  presented.  *  *  You  come  to  a 
group  of  snow-capped  mountains  and  as  the  sun  shines  upon  them 
you  can  hardly  conceive  of  their  beauty  ;  then  you  suddenly  discover 

35 


another,  whose  top  is  grey,  towering  to  a  great  height  and  giving 
character  to  the  others,  very  much  as  the  grey-haired  man  in  a  con- 
gregation seems  to  give  character  to  the  congregation  itself. 

"Naples,  July  28.  Having  been  introduced  to  the  minister  of 
the  Scotch  church  here  on  my  trip  from  Edinburgh,  I  find  he  has 
been  to  the  hotel  to  see  me,  and  later  has  sent  a  note  by  messenger 
asking  me  to  preach  for  him  to-morrow  morning,  to  which  I  have 
given  my  consent. 

"  Since  dinner  we  have  taken  a  drive  in  a  cab,  but  the  driver 
whipped  his  horse  so  unmercifully  that  I  think  we  should  have 
enjoyed  a  walk  more.  The  inhabitants  seem  to  be  of  all  grades. 
But  I  think  we  have  seen  more  of  squalor  and  filth  than  in  any  other 
city  thus  far.  Since  coming  to  Italy  I  have  been  surprised  at  the 
high  order  of  intelligence  indicated  by  many  of  the  faces,  especially 
has  this  been  so  with  quite  a  number  of  the  military  men. 

"  Florence,  August  6.  As  there  was  no  English  speaking  service 
to  be  found,  we  had  Brother  Scovel  preach  us  a  sermon.  Of  course 
there  was  not  much  in  the  atmosphere  of  the  place  like  our  Puritan 
Sabbath  ;  and  I  can  but  think  how  sad  it  will  be  for  our  country  if 
ever  the  foreign  element  shall  succeed  in  breaking  down  our  Sabbath 
institutions.  Their  absence  here  helps  you  to  appreciate  their 
preciousness. 

"Venice.  As  I  sit  here  writing,  I  hear  no  rumbling  of  wheels 
and  clattering  of  hoofs  as  in  other  cities.  This  quietness  pleases  me. 
After  dinner  we  took  a  ride  in  a  gondola.  Our  oarsman  favored  us 
with  some  music,  which  was  probably  the  best  he  could  manufacture, 
but  I  hardly  think  he  succeeded  in  charming  any  of  the  fair  ladies 
of  Venice.  With  the  aid  of  a  guide  we  have  been  visiting  some  of 
the  wonders.  Had  I  not  seen  so  many  cathedrals  I  should  probably 
have  been  amazed  at  St.  Mark's ;  but  that  which  amazed  us  most 
was  that  so  many  of  its  precious  things  had  been  stolen  from  Jeru- 
salem, Constantinople  and  other  places. 

"Of  the  thirty-seven  days,  which  we  had  laid  out  for  our  stay  on 
the  continent,  only   about  fourteen  now  remain.     Well,  it  is  a  very 

36 


pleasant  thought  to  me  that  we  are  now  homeward  bound.  There 
is  no  country  which  in  my  eyes  is  as  attractive  as  the  Genesee 
Valley,  and  there  are  no  scenes  through  which  I  pass  which  render 
my  home  less  precious." 

From  Italy  the  party  passed  rapidly  through  Switzerland  down 
the  Rhine  to  the  Low  Countries,  and  thence  to  England  and  the 
Emerald  Isle,  where  they  took  ship  for  New  York.  After  an 
absence  of  nearly  four  months,  Dr.  Parsons  reached  home  late  in 
September.  His  return  was  a  matter  for  village  rejoicing.  The 
satisfaction  of  his  people  found  vent  in  a  reception  at  the  lecture 
room,  adorned  for  the  occasion  with  autumnal  foliage  and  flowers. 
Here  many  of  the  citizens  joined  his  parishioners  in  expressing  their 
hearty  welcome.  It  was  a  season  of  that  abundant  "good  feeling," 
so  dear  to  the  pastor's  heart,  leading  him  to  exclaim  with  the 
psalmist,  "Truly  the  lines  have  fallen  to  us  in  pleasant  places ;  yea, 
we  have  a  goodly  heritage." 

The  pleasant  day  dreams  indulged  during  the  journey,  of  retro- 
spective enjoyment  with  his  family,  were  never  realized.  "A  funeral 
was  waiting  for  me  when  I  got  home,  and  I  have  been  on  the  go 
ever  since,"  he  said  in  explanation.  "I  have  about  as  much  as  I  can 
do  to  grapple  with  present  duties  and  cares,  and  let  the  past  take 
care  of  itself.  And  so  life  whirls  along  and  perhaps  will  continue  to 
whirl  until  I  shall  get  through." 

The  Quarter  Centenary  of  Dr.  Parsons' pastorate  was  celebrated 
at  the  residence  of  George  W.  Phelps,  Esq.,  on  the  evening  of  Feb- 
ruary 3,  1881.  Notwithstanding  extreme  cold  and  uncertain 
traveling,  three  hundred  guests  assembled  to  participate  in  the 
exercises.  Among  these  were  Rev.  Dr.  Page  of  Rochester,  who 
assisted  at  the  installation  twenty-five  years  earlier ;  Rev.  Messrs. 
Weed  of  Scottsville,  Kittredge  of  Geneseo,  Conklin  of  Lakeville, 
Gutelius  of  Moscow,  Best  of  Clinton ;  also  from  the  village  Dr. 
Massey  of  the  Episcopal  church  and  Rev.  S.  D.  Moxley  of  the  Bap- 
tist. Dr.  Ames  in  behalf  of  the  congregation  addressed  Dr.  Parsons. 
He  alluded  to   the   pleasure  of  the  church  in  commemorating  the 

37 


event,  and,  after  dwelling  appreciatively  upon  the  pastor's  faithful 
labors  during  bygone  years,  presented  twenty-five  silver  dollars, 
"milestones  to  mark  each  year  of  work,"  and  a  silver  tea  set,  belated 
on  the  road  by  adverse  weather.  Several  valuable  gifts  were  like- 
wise presented  by  members  of  the  congregation  and  out-of-town 
friends.  Remarks  were  made  by  Dr.  Page,  Messrs.  Weed  and  Best ; 
extracts  from  numerous  letters  read,  also  a  poem  contributed  by  a 
former  pastor.  Rev.  C.  H.  A.  Buckley,  entitled 

A  CHURCH'S  SILVER  WEDDING  SONG. 
Sing  we  our  "  Silver  Wedding  "  lay 

Of  jo}'s  oft  garnered  up, 
With  him  by  whom  our  souls  have  long 

Quaffed  God's  salvation  cup; 
Drink  we  from  it  with  fullest  joy 

Out  of  Truth's  living- stream, 
Nor  let  the  world,  with  Time's  alloy, 

Begloom  its  golden  gleams. 

Twice  ten  and  five  of  toilsome  years, 

And  yet  a  gladsome  time, — 
Their  harmonies  of  hopes  and  fears 

Ring  out  with  sacred  chimes; 
Blest  memories  from  afar  they  call, 

To  troop  before  our  view, 
Linked  hand  in  hand  with  grief  for  all 

The  lost,  the  loved,  the  true. 

Do  not  their  spirits  hover  near, 

A  cloud  of  witnesses, 
To  greet  him  in  our  festive  cheer 

And  swell  our  tide  of  bliss? 
Were  they  not  fed  by  him  through  life 

To  run  the  patient  race? 
Like  them,  shall  we  not  bear  the  strife 

And  win  the  heavenly  place? 

Truths,  bright  as  stars,  he  made  to  shine 

Anew  upon  our  way, 
And  fruits,  shed  from  the  tree  divine, 

Defying  Time's  decay 
He  brought  to  us — and  told  of  love, 

Of  joy  and  hope  in  God, 
For  all  whose  feet,  when  fixed  above. 

The  paths  of  pureness  trod. 

O  Lord  of  light !  still  may  his  bow 

With  us  in  strength  abide, 
And  let  his  life  in  fulness  flow 

With  love's  undarkened  tide; 
Grant  that  we  all  his  joy  may  share, 

The  topmost  crown  to  place, 
On  us  a  spirit  temple  fair. 

With  shouts  to  it  of  "  Grace." 

38 


It  was  an  event  memorable  not  alone  in  the  church  annals  of 
Mount  Morris.  Throughout  the  State  of  New  York  there  were  at 
that  time  (so  far  as  is  known)  but  Jiitic  other  Presbyterian  ministers 
who  had  occupied  their  pulpits  twenty-five  years  and  upwards. 
Although  in  his  early  ministry  he  had  aimed  at  permanency,  he  had 
never  anticipated  so  long  a  stay,  ever  realizing,  in  view  of  the  con- 
stant changes  in  the  ranks  of  the  village  clergy'  and  those  of  the 
neighboring  churches,  the  necessity  of  being  "ready  to  go  at  the 
shortest  notice,  with  the  kindest  feelings  toward  all,  whenever  the 
interests  of  the  church  and  especially  its  amity  seemed  to  require  it." 

While  all  else  had  changed — the  trees,  which  he  had  helped  to 
plant  around  the  church,  overtopping  the  eaves — the  children  grown 
to  adult  years — his  co-presbyters  scattered  to  the  four  quarters  of 
the  Union  or  gone  to  their  final  reward — one  thing  remained 
unaltered:  "The  declaration  which  I  then  made,"  he  said  in  his 
anniversary  sermon  of  that  date,  "the  declaration  of  my  belief  in  the 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as  the  word  of  God,  and 
that  I  received  the  confession  of  faith  of  this  church  as  containing 
the  system  of  doctrine  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  is  a  declaration 
which  I  still  maintain  with  no  less  heartiness  than  when  first  made  ; 
while  the  vows  which  I  then  took  to  seek  your  spiritual  welfare,  are 
vows  which  I  have  cherished,  and  which  I  can  only  regret  have  not 
been  more  faithfully  fulfilled."  "Rooted  and  grounded  in  the  faith," 
his  creed  knew  no  wavering ;  the  truths  learned  in  childhood  stood 
the  test  of  a  lifetime. 

It  is  interesting  in  this  connection,  as  showing  his  indebtedness 
to  early  religious  training,  to  read  a  letter  written  by  him  for  the 
eightieth  anniversary  of  the  Marcellus  church  : 

October  io,  i88i. 
My  dear  Brother  Smith  : — Could  we  only  carry  these  bodies 
from  place  to  place  as  rapidly  as  our  hearts  go,  I  should  not  fail  to 
be  one  of  your  number  at  the  approaching  anniversary.  No  urging 
is  ever  necessary  to  induce  me  to  visit  Marcellus.  That  village,  with 
all  it  surroundings,  has  been  to  me  much  the  same  as  Mecca  has 
been  to  the  Mohammedan,  or  Jerusalem  to  the  Jew.     No  spot  on 

39 


earth  can  quite  take  the  place  in  my  heart  which  I  have  given  to  my 
childhood  home ;  and  I  am  glad  to  say  that  as  years  increase  my 
love  for  that  home  grows  none  the  less.  Sometimes  when  I  am 
weary  and  perplexed  with  cares,  it  even  now  proves  a  very  pleasant 
recreation  to  let  memory  busy  herself  in  reproducing  the  scenes  of 
my  childhood.  There  was  a  great  deal  of  sunshine  in  those  scenes, 
but  perhaps  this  is  because  I  forget  the  clouds.  Nothing  as  con- 
nected with  the  sufferings  of  our  late  President  so  touched  my  heart 
as  the  longing  he  expressed  to  be  back  on  the  "old  sod  "  and  to  visit 
a  certain  hill  where  he  used  to  pick  wintergreens.  Childhood  mem- 
ories brought  him  more  sunshine  than  all  the  honors  of  the  Presi- 
dency and  splendors  of  the  White  House.  The  man  was  only  the 
grown-up  boy. 

I  never  can  be  too  thankful  that  God  gave  me  Christian  parents 
and  surrounded  me  with  the  hallowed  influences  of  a  Christian 
home.  Much  as  I  loved  those  parents  while  they  were  living,  I  love 
them  more  to-day ;  and  this  because  of  my  increasing  appreciation  of 
their  real  worth,  and  of  what  they  did  for  me.  When  I  meet  them 
in  Heaven  I  shall  want  to  tell  them  this.  But  of  course  no  view  of 
my  childhood  home  can  possibly  be  complete  excepting  as  seen  in 
connection  with  the  church.  God  himself  has  so  joined  the  two 
together,  that  the  highest  excellence  of  each  is  only  discoverable  in 
its  union  with  the  other.  Some  of  my  earliest  recollections  are  of 
attending  church  when  I  was  about  three  years  of  age.  That,  of 
course,  was  in  the  old  meeting-house.  My  place  was  in  the  min- 
ister's pew,  which  was  a  large  square  pew  next  to  the  pulpit  on  the 
west.  How  plainly  I  can  now  see  the  interior  of  that  church,  with 
its  three  aisles,  its  high  pulpit,  and  its  large  galleries  on  three  sides, 
occupied  by  not  a  few  of  the  young  people.  Edward  Frost  was  my 
first  Sabbath  school  teacher,  and  Deacon  Beach  was  the  superin- 
tendent. At  five  o'clock  I  would  go  with  my  father  to  a  third 
service  on  the  south  or  east  hills,  or  Falls,  or  the  Captain  Taylor 
school  house.  The  church  conference  was  on  Friday  afternoon  and 
was  attended  by  such  men  as  Judge  Bradley  and  Mr.  Bingham. 
Mr.  Bingham  was  a  notable  singer.  I  think  St.  Martin's  must  have 
been  his  favorite,  as  he  used  to  give  the  peculiar  warble  of  St. 
Martin's  to  all  the  other  tunes.  His  singing  was  to  me  the  best  part 
of  the  meeting,  attributable  in  part,  perhaps,  to  the  kind  word 
which  he  usually  had  for  me  as  a  child.  The  reason  for  holding  the 
meeting  in  the  afternoon  was  to  accommodate  those  living  at  a  dis- 
tance, there  being  very  few  church  members  in  the  village.     Indeed, 

40 


the  strong  infidelity  which  prevailed  in  the  village  was  one  of  the 
chief  obstacles  to  the  prosperity  of  the  church.  *  *  And  as  we 
think  of  all  these  eighty  years  through  which  God  has  led  our 
beloved  church,  how  encouraging  the  fact  that  an  institution  which 
was  thus  founded  in  the  wilderness,  has  survived  all  its  founders, 
and  comes  down  to  us  with  increased  strength,  freighted  with  so 
many  prayers,  and  labors,  and  tears,  and  rich  in  so  many  precious 
memories  and  associations.  We  may  presume  that  on  that  October 
day,  eighty  years  ago,  the  forests  that,  with  the  exception  of  here 
and  there  a  clearing,  covered  all  those  hills  and  valleys  must  hav^e 
looked  gorgeous  in  their  autumnal  robes,  as  that  little  band  of 
Christians  gathered  from  different  parts  of  the  town  to  enter  into 
solemn  covenant  with  God  and  each  other  in  the  church  relation. 
That  must  have  been  an  interesting  meeting.  I  think  we  all  wonder 
what  were  the  hymns  they  sung,  what  the  chapter  they  read,  and 
what  the  particular  truth  to  which  their  attention  was  invited ;  but 
we  cannot  doubt  their  prayers  reached  down  to  us  and  to  those  who 
shall  yet  come  after  us.  Theirs  was  a  noble  work,  they  toiled  hard, 
they  laid  strong  foundations ;  but,  one  by  one,  they  have  fallen 
asleep,  they  rest  from  their  labor,  and  their  works  do  follow  them, 
and  because  of  this  they  are  not  lost  to  us.  But  in  the  very  act  of 
taking  up  their  work  and  carrying  it  forward  we  may  be  said  to 
belong  to  them,  and  they  to  us. 

Among  the  literary  productions  which  Dr.  Parsons  prepared,  in 
addition  to  his  regular  work  as  pastor,  may  be  mentioned  his  address 
before  the  Alumni  at  the  commencement  exercises  of  Hamilton 
College,  in  1885,  on  ''The  Uses  of  Political  Parties."  On  the  request 
of  his  friend  and  classmate,  Hon.  John  Jay  Knox,  this  address  was 
published  in  the  New  Princeton  Review  of  May,  1887. 

His  most  important  work,  "The  History  of  Rochester  Presby- 
tery," was  compiled  from  manuscript  records  of  that  ecclesiastical 
body  and  the  presbyteries  formerly  occupying  the  ground,  and  pub- 
lished by  Presbytery  in  1889.  As  giving  access  to  all  matters 
pertaining  to  Presbytcrianism  in  these  regions,  the  work  possesses 
great  value.  In  reviewing  it  the  Rochester  Democrat  and  Chronicle 
says:  "The  volume  gives  a  brief  sketch  of  Presbyterian  work  from 
the  year  1795,  when  the  first  trace  of  any  permanent  church  organ- 

41 


ization  is  found  in  Western  New  York.  *  *  The  general  infor- 
mation in  the  work  is  invaluable.  Dr.  Parsons  is  entitled  to  the 
gratitude  of  all  students  of  church  history  for  the  care  with  which 
the  work  is  compiled,  and  that  subjects  ordinarily  dry  are  so  handled 
as  to  be  replete  with  interest." 

"The  Mount  Morris  Centenary,"  prepared  in  1894  by  Dr. 
Parsons  and  Mr.  S.  L.  Rockfellow,  in  addition  to  being  a  most 
excellent  record  of  the  first  century  of  the  town's  existence,  shows 
his  earnest  desire  as  a  citizen  to  promote  the  development  and  well- 
being  of  the  place,  and  his  interest  in  local  as  well  as  general  history. 

He  was  chosen  Moderator  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  New 
England  at  Albany,  in  1892,  and  by  virtue  of  this  ofifice  presided 
over  the  Missionary  Congress  held  in  Saratoga  the  following  year. 
It  was  during  this  same  year,  '93,  that  he  became  President  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  and  in  this 
capacity  presented  the  keys  of  that  institution  to  its  first  president, 
Rev.  Henry  M.  Booth,  D.  D.,  and  to  his  successor,  Rev,  George  B. 
Stewart,  D.  D.  The  remarks  of  Dr.  Parsons  on  this  latter  occasion 
regarding  the  use  of  trust  funds  are  of  especial  value.  We  give 
the  address  in  full : 

"  President  Stewart  : 

My  Dear  Brother: — It  has  been  made  my  pleasant  duty,  on  the 
occasion  of  your  inauguration,  as  the  second  president  of  our  beloved 
seminary,  to  present  you  the  keys  of  this  sacred  institution,  which  I 
now  do  in  the  name  of  its  Board  of  Trustees,  which  I  have  the  honor 
to  represent. 

This  is  not  an  empty  form,  but  is  rather  significant  of  the  power 
with  which  you  are  invested,  as  the  recognized  head  of  this  honored 
school  of  the  prophets.  The  charter  has  devolved  upon  our  board 
the  more  immediate  care  of  the  seminary,  as  to  its  curriculum  of 
study,  the  maintenance  of  discipline,  the  comfort  of  the  professors 
and  students,  the  care  of  its  buildings  and  grounds,  and  the  manage- 
ment of  its  finances. 

42 


In  the  care  of  all  these  invested  funds,  we  are  impressed  with 
the  greatness  of  our  responsibility,  when  we  consider  that  they  are 
not  only  trust  funds,  but  especially  sacred,  as  the  offerings  of  God's 
people  for  ministerial  education  ;  many  of  whom  though  dead  are 
yet  speaking,  through  the  jDcrpetual  power  of  their  benefactions. 

Nor  do  we  forget  that  these  funds  represent,  in  part,  the  hard 
earnings  of  the  fathers  and  mothers,  who  were  the  pioneers  of 
Central  and  Western  New  York,  and  who  transformed  what  was 
then  a  wilderness,  into  these  fruitful  fields  ;  and  who  as  they  endured 
privations,  and  built  their  own  humble  homes,  made  their  'deep 
poverty  to  abound  unto  the  riches  of  their  liberality,'  in  the  founding 
of  this  seminary. 

But  our  funds  represent  not  only  poverty  but  wealth.  As  God 
has  lifted  our  whole  country  to  its  present  high  position  of  power 
and  riches,  in  the  sight  of  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  our  own 
favored  section  has  been  a  large  sharer  in  this  prosperity,  as  is 
attested  by  the  many  enterprising  cities  and  thriving  villages  which 
are  scattered  so  thickly  over  this  part  of  our  commonwealth.  To 
the  small  contributions  therefore,  of  the  pioneers,  have  subsequently 
been  added  the  hundreds  and  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of 
dollars,  in  gifts  and  bequests  of  the  wealthy,  which  have  served  to 
erect  these  massive  buildings,  to  adorn  these  beautiful  grounds,  and 
to  increase  the  amount  of  our  invested  funds. 

While  therefore  in  the  administration  of  our  high  trust,  we  must 
seek  only  to  do  the  Lord's  will,  yet  we  feel  that  in  ascertaining  what 
his  will  may  be,  we  are  to  have  a  wise  reference  to  the  views,  the 
tastes,  and  the  habits  of  life,  of  those  who  contributed  this  prosper- 
ity ;  the  rich  as  well  as  the  poor,  and  the  poor  most  certainly,  as  well 
as  the  rich ;  for  we  know  that  in  God's  sight  the  smallest  contri- 
bution may  be  the  largest. 

But  this  is  not  our  most  perplexing  problem.  As  wealth  abounds 
in  our  land,  it  is  not  without  its  dangers  to  institutions,  as  well  as  to 
individuals.  To  say  nothing  of  conspicuous  instances  of  the  per- 
version of  funds  from   the   express    terms   of  charters  under  which 

43 


they  have  been  held,  it  is  enough  for  us  to  know  that  churches,  and 
missionary  boards,  and  educational  institutions  generally,  are  endur- 
ing some  of  the  most  insidious  temptations,  as  the  god  of  this  world 
through  the  power  of  money  is  securing  as  many  as  possible  to  fall 
down  and  worship  him.  In  retaining  the  simplicity,  the  humility, 
and  the  fraternity  of  the  gospel,  it  is  far  easier  '  to  know  how  to  be 
abased,  than  how  to  abound.' 

Wealth  is  a  greater  trial  to  grace  than  is  poverty.  The  Bible 
abounds  in  its  warnings  against  the  encroachments  of  worldliness. 

The  efficiency  of  our  future  ministry  will  be  the  fruit  of  the 
consecrated  spirit  which  now  pervades  our  theological  seminaries. 
God  is  calling  for  ministers  'who  shall  endure  hardness  as  good 
soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ ; '  and  we  shall  be  greatly  to  blame,  if  our 
trust  funds  shall  result  in  sending  out  men  whose  moral  fibre  has 
been  weakened  by  their  love  of  ease  and  desire  for  luxurious  living. 

We  think  it  quite  proper,  my  dear  brother,  in  recognizing  your 
headship  of  this  institution  in  all  its  departments,  that  we  should 
thus  indicate  the  nature  of  our  duties  as  a  board,  and  frankly  confess 
the  dangers  with  which  we  are  beset.  After  many  losses  and  much 
perplexity,  owing  to  the  unprecedented  revulsion  which  has  recently 
prevailed  in  all  commercial  circles,  we  are  happy  to  report  our  finan- 
cial condition  as  both  sound  and  hopeful.  We  are  out  of  debt,  and, 
what  is  more  important,  have  learned  to  keep  out  of  debt. 

Most  cordially  do  we  welcome  you  as  our  leader ;  and  it  will  be 
our  pleasure  to  aid  you  in  carrying  out  all  plans  which  you  may 
devise,  for  the  strengthening,  enlarging,  and  greater  efficiency  of 
this  institution.  We  shall  invite  you  from  time  to  time,  as  we  have 
your  predecessor,  to  participate  in  our  deliberations ;  and  we  shall 
rejoice  to  find  that  his  mantle  has  fallen  upon  your  shoulders. 
Words  fail  us  as  we  try  to  express  our  debt  of  gratitude  for  the  six 
years  of  his  faithful,  wise,  sagacious  and  successful  leadership. 
Indeed  his  expressed  approval  of  yourself,  as  his  possible  successor, 
is  your  most  happy  introduction  to  our  confidence. 

And  now  it  is  oiu'  prayer  that  our  covenant  God,  the  God  of  our 

44 


fathers,  may  fill  you  with  all  wisdom ;  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit  may 
use  you  as  his  own  chosen  instrument,  in  sending  out  year  by  year 
successive  bands  of  young  men,  who  shall  be  'able  ministers  of  the 
New  Testament,'  'workmen  who  need  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly 
dividins:  the  word  of  truth.'  " 


The  fortieth  anniversary  of  this  pastorate  was  celebrated  June 
25th,  1896.  It  was  one  of  those  perfect  days  known  only  to  the 
month  of  roses.  "  Mount  Morris,  fairest  village  of  the  valley  of  the 
Genesee,  was  at  its  best,"  says  the  Presbytery  News,  "and  the 
environment  helped  to  make  more  glad  a  joyous  anniversary.  The 
church  auditorium  was  adorned  with  plants  and  flowers  in  rich  pro- 
fusion and  chaste  designs;  the  session  room  and  parlors  were  turned 
into  a  dining  hall  with  tables  laden  with  products  of  field  and 
garden." 

The  guests,  including  a  large  delegation  from  the  Presbytery, 
assembled  from  far  and  near  to  congratulate  the  church  and  minister 
whose  mutual  vows  had  remained  unbroken  for  two  score  years. 

There  was  an  elaborate  program  extending  over  afternoon  and 
evening  sessions.  After  the  usual  preliminary  exercises,  the  Rev. 
H.  H.  Stebbins,  D.  D.,  of  Rochester,  as  representative  of  Rochester 
Presbytery,  delivered  the  introductory  address,  closing  with  :  "As 
members  of  Presbytery  we  say,  Blessed  be  God  for  the  five  and 
twenty  years  of  Dr.  Parsons'  continuance  with  that  body.  It  has 
never  known  but  one  stated  clerk,  and  as  stated  clerk,  what  a  record  ! 
I  will  not  call  him  the  father  of  Presbytery,  for  that  he  might  con- 
strue as  a  reflection  on  his  age,  and  this  is  no  time  for  reflections — 
of  that  sort.  But  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  and  in  a  most 
important,  yea  invaluable  sense,  he  has  been  the  Boss  of  the  Pres- 
bytery. *  *  What  fidelity  to  the  meetings  from  invocation  to 
benediction !  He  has  been  the  first  to  arrive,  the  last  to  depart. 
What  accuracy  as  a  scribe ;  what  skill,  entirely  legitimate,  that  at 

45 


Synod  and  Assembly,  the  Rochester  Presbytery  should  have  its  full 
quota  of  representation  !  What  intelligent  and  vigorous  interest  in 
all  the  business !  What  fraternal  regard  and  tender  consideration, 
and  gentleness.  Blessed  be  God  for  the  twenty-five  years.  May 
his  presbyterial  function  attain  unto  its  fortieth  year  and  as  much 
longer  as  God  will  let  him  serve  in  that  capacity.  *  *  The  Pres- 
bytery shares  the  joy,  the  honor,  the  grateful  review,  the  sacred 
memories  inspired  by  this  anniversary." 

Rev.  Dr.  Kittredge,  of  Geneseo,  followed,  as  representing  the 
neighboring  ministers,  and  said  in  part :  "Good  friends,  and  friends 
all ;  especially,  my  friend  Dr.  Parsons.  The  members  of  this  Pres- 
bytery, and  the  inner  circle  of  its  members,  have  rejoiced  that  they 
have  a  brother  whom  they  can  trust,  a  counselor.  I  am  here  to 
speak  of  the  wisdom  and  balance  of  this  brother.  Our  inner  circle 
recognize  what  a  good  thing  it  is  to  have  fellowship  with  such  a 
soul,  a  right  royal  soul ;  we  bless  God  that  he  has  given  us  such  a 
head,  heart,  and  soul  to  be  our  companion  in  His  name." 

John  M.  Hastings,  Esq.,  then  spoke  for  the  congregation:  "In 
coming  before  you,  I  believe  that  I  am  speaking,  not  only  to  those 
present  here,  but  to  a  great  congregation  who  have  gone  beyond. 
Forty  years  have  passed,  and  I  believe  that  I  can  say,  that  year  by 
year  our  hearts  have  been  knit  closer  and  closer  with  our  pastor. 
It  is  not  to  our  credit,  but  it  is  because  our  pastor  has  been  patient 
with  us,  almost  beyond  the  patience  of  man.  *  *  Had  we  a  joy, 
we  gladly  told  it  to  our  pastor.  Had  we  a  sorrow,  then  we  to  the 
good  Doctor  came,  a  friend  with  ever  ready  ear ;  and  with  mouth 
closed  but  to  that  one  who  did  confide.  The  Doctor  has  never  failed 
us.  When  there  is  any  unusual  occurrence  in  church  or  state,  we 
have  a  way  of  waiting  to  hear  from  Dr.  Parsons.  We  know  that  he 
never  gets  off  his  base  ;  a  regiment  of  cavalry  or  artillery  cannot 
move  him  ;  he  is  solid  and  has  his  reasons  for  what  he  says.  *  * 
We  have  never  had  cause  to  fear  the  propriety  of  the  utterance  of 
our  pastor.  We  have  never  known  what  it  is  to  come  to  church 
with  a  doubt  as  to   the   spirituality   of   what   we  hear.     When  the 

46 


Doctor  tells  us  that  anything  is  spiritually  right,  all  the  authors  or 
books  in  existence  are  at  naught,  and  we  are  at  rest." 

In  response  Dr.  Parsons  said : 

"  Standing  as  I  do  today  at  the  close  of  forty  years'  service  as 
pastor  of  this  church  and  congregation,  I  wish  most  of  all  to  express 
my  obligations  to  God  for  the  way  in  which  He  has  been  pleased  to 
lead  me  and  to  give  Him  all  the  glory  for  any  good  whatever  which 
He  may  have  secured  through  my  instrumentality  in  this  pastoral 
relation. 

I  feel  today  that  I  am  surrounded  by  friends ;  and  for  forty 
years  I  have  had  that  same  feeling. 

This  is  my  home  where  the  Lord  has  permitted  me  to  abide  and 
I  can  truly  say  "The  lines  have  fallen  unto  me  in  pleasant  places, 
yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage.  "  The  whole  valley  of  the  Genesee 
is  renowned  for  its  fertility  and  beauty,  and  certainly  we  can  not  be 
blamed  if  we  regard  this  as  one  of  its  most  attractive  spots.  The 
words  of  kindly  greeting  which  have  been  so  happily  expressed  by 
representatives  from  the  Presbytery,  the  neighboring  clergy,  and 
the  people  of  this  congregation,  have  only  reassured  me  of  the 
friendliness  of  my  co-presbyters,  the  sweet  fellowship  of  brethren 
whose  parishes  join  my  own  and  the  confidence  and  love  of  a  people 
who  occupy  a  very  warm  place  in  my  heart. 

The  friendship  in  these  different  relations,  of  which  I  have  been 
so  many  years  the  recipient,  has  been  of  a  quality  to  overlook  my 
many  defects ;  for  I  am  intensely  conscious  of  my  imperfections, 
and  could  almost  wish  to  repeat  these  years  in  the  ministry,  so  as  to 
be  more  careful,  more  active,  and  more  faithful. 

This  occasion  is  one  of  reminiscences,  suggestive  especially  of 
the  meeting  of  the  Ontario  Presbytery  in  this  house  forty  years 
ago,  when  this  pastoral  relation  was  constituted. 

The  Presbytery  of  Ontario  was  with  few  exceptions,  limited  to 
the  county  of  Livingston,  and  was  composed  of  brothers  who  were 
bound  together  by  very  strong  attachments.  We  were  a  band  of 
brothers ;  our  meetings  were  noted  for  their   sociability,    especially 

47 


the  summer  sessions,  when  our  wives  were  present  and  the  collation 
was  the  most  attractive  feature  of  the  occasion. 

Those,  too,  were  days  of  disunion  among  Presbyterians,  when 
the  terms  Old  School  and  New  School  were  very  familiar,  and  while 
the  bitterness  which  characterized  the  division  at  the  first  had 
largely  abated,  yet  the  old  battle  lines  were  far  from  being  obliter- 
ated ;  and  as  churches  of  both  kinds  were  located  side  by  side  in 
this  territory,  the  friction  here  was  greater  than  elsewhere.  For 
this  very  reason  the  Re-union  in  1869  brought  a  great  blessing  to 
the  Presbyterians  of  Livingston  county.  The  event  was  celebrated 
by  a  large  convention  in  this  very  church,  the  hatchets  were  all 
buried,  the  best  of  feeling  prevailed,  and  the  meeting  was  little  else 
than  one  great  love  feast. 

At  this  time  of  re-union  the  desire  was  very  strong  that  as  a 
county  we  should  be  by  ourselves  and  be  known  as  the  Presbytery 
of  Livingston  ;  but  the  demand  for  large  bodies  was  so  overwhelming 
as  to  merge  us  with  the  metropolitan  Presbytery  of  Rochester,  and 
thus  largely  obliterate  our  cherished  traditions.  The  union,  how- 
ever, has  proved  most  happy  for  these  more  than  twenty-five  years. 
Our  city  brethren  have  treated  us  most  courteously,  and  the  parity 
of  the  clergy  has  been  not  less  happily  exemplified  by  them  than 
it  was  on  the  floor  of  our  formerly  purely  rural  body. 

The  entire  disuse  of  the  terms  Old  and  New  School  has  only 
proved  how  completely  obliterated  is  every  trace  of  that  unhappy 
controversy  which  divided  our  beloved  Zion  for  more  than  thirty 
years. 

Of  the  clergymen  of  all  denominations  in  Central  and  Western 
New  York,  I  know  of  none  but  Dr.  Waith,  of  Lancaster,  who 
occupies  the  same  position  as  he  did  forty  years  ago.  For  many 
years  Brother  Hunter  of  Springwater,  and  Dr.  Shaw  of  Rochester, 
were  conspicuous  illustrations  of  the  permanent  pastorate,  the  one 
celebrating  his  fiftieth  anniversary  and  the  other  very  nearly  reaching 
that  mark. 

As  pn)ductive  of  prolonged  pastorates  this  Genesee  Valley  has 

48 


earned  an  enviable  distinction.  Dr.  Barnard  was  thirty-eight  years  at 
Lima,  Rev.  Thomas  Aitken  was  more  than  forty  years  at  Sparta, 
and  the  following  have  had  pastorates  of  twenty  years  or  more : 
Dr.  A.  G.  Hall  of  Rochester,  3rd  ;  Dr.  J.  R.  Page  of  Perry,  Dr.  S.  A. 
Freeman  of  Honeoye  Falls,  Dr.  G.  Patton  of  Rochester,  3rd;  Dr. 
C.  B.  Gardner  of  Rochester,  Westminster ;  Dr.  C.  P.  Coit  of 
Rochester,  Memorial;  Dr.  H.  P.  V.  Bogue  of  Avon,  Rev.  G.  K. 
Ward  of  Dansville,  and  Rev.  F.  Gutelius  of  Moscow.  The  last  four 
are  in  the  race  with  a  fair  promise  of  celebrating  the  fortieth  or  even 
the  fiftieth  anniversary.  The  name  of  Dr.  J.  E.  Kittredge,  of 
Geneseo,  should  properly  be  added  to  this  roll  of  honor,  as  he  is 
already  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his  pastorate. 

But  turning  from  these  Presbyterial  relations  to  the  dear  people 
of  my  charge  for  whom  I  have  offered  so  many  prayers  and  from 
whom  I  have  received  so  many  benefactions,  not  the  least  of  which 
have  been  the  prayers  they  have  offered  up  for  me,  I  feel  that  if 
any  honor  attaches  to  the  fact  of  our  having  walked  lovingly 
together  for  forty  years,  that  honor  is  largely  attributable  to  your 
patience,  your  thoughtfulness  and  your  uniform  kindness.  While 
it  would  be  more  than  human  to  suppose  that  any  minister  could 
preach  even  one  year  to  any  congregation,  without  awakening 
some  oppostiton,  yet  I  can  say  that  whatever  of  opposition  there 
may  have  been,  you  have  been  very  carefvil  to  keep  me  in  blissful 
ignorance  of  it. 

Years  ago  you  gained  my  confidence,  and  you  have  never  for- 
feited it.  You  have  made  me  feel  at  home,  you  have  cheered  me 
with  your  kindly  greetings,  and  you  have  sustained  me  with  timely 
assurances,  that  my  ministrations  were  appreciated. 

You  yourselves  have  met  with  many  changes,  while  the  Lord 
has  kept  me  in  the  same  place.  He  has  with  few  exceptions  taken 
from  me  my  former  people,  and  supplied  their  places  with  others. 
Of  the  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  communicants  reported  in  1856 
only  sixteen  remain,  three  of  whom  are  non-residents,  and  four  of 
whom  have  changed  their  church  relations  and  returned.  In  addition 

49 


to  these  there  are  about  forty,  who  then  belonged  to  the  congrega- 
tion, many  of  whom  were  children,  who  are  still  with  us,  and  mostly 
communicants  ;  and  there  is  perhaps  no  blessing  so  sweet  to  a 
pastor's  heart  as  when  our  covenant  God  permits  the  children  to 
take  the  places  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  who  have  fallen  asleep. 

Coming  as  I  did  to  this  place  in  my  youth  and  inexperience,  the 
Lord  was  very  good  in  surrounding  me  with  a  noble  band  of  elders, 
men  of  varied  gifts  but  all  of  sterling  character.  One  by  one  they 
have  left  us  until  all  have  gone.  But  their  places  have  been  sup- 
plied by  worthy  followers  up  to  the  present  time  ;  men  in  whom  I 
have  confided,  and  who  have  worked  harmoniously  for  the  interests 
of  the  church.  Indeed  I  have  never  felt  that  any  of  them,  either 
openly  or  secretly,  were  working  against  my  ministry.  And  I  am 
happy  to  bear  similar  testimony  as  to  the  successions  of  deacons 
and  trustees,  who  have  been  true  helpers. 

I  recall  their  names  with  tender  interest,  and  cannot  forget  their 
friendliness.  This  absence  of  opposition  is  all  the  more  noticeable 
when  we  think  of  the  exciting  experiences  of  the  civil  war. 

The  uniform  good  health  with  which  the  Lord  has  blessed  me 
has  enabled  me  with  but  few  exceptions,  to  meet  my  ordinary  pres- 
byterial,  pulpit  and  parochial  duties.  I  call  to  mind  only  two  stated 
meetings  of  presbytery  from  which  I  have  been  absent ;  and  few 
indeed  have  been  the  Sabbaths,  when  sickness  has  kept  me  from 
my  accustomed  place  in  the  sanctuary. 

Nor  can  I  fail  to  bear  testimony  to  the  uniform  friendliness  of 
the  other  churches  in  this  village.  With  many  of  the  pastors  of 
these  churches,  I  have  formed  very  strong  friendships.  The  Lord 
has  enabled  us  to  work  together  in  love.  Indeed  in  not  a  few 
instances,  our  relations  could  hardly  have  been  more  confidential, 
had  we  belonged  to  the  same  denomination.  Similar  testimony  I 
wish  to  bear  respecting  the  people  generally,  irrespective  of  any 
church  relations.  They  have  expressed  their  friendliness  in  ways 
which  have  touched  my  heart. 

I  am  glad  the  Lord  led  me  into  the  ministry.     Were  I  to  live  my 

50 


life  over  ag-ain  I  would  choose  the  same  profession ;  only  I  would 
stri\'e  to  honor  it  more  and  make  it  more  effective  for  good.  The 
ministry  is  a  noble  calling,  appealing  to  the  grandest  motives  and 
furnishing  rare  opportunities  for  the  development  of  a  true  manhood. 
The  I.ord  greatly  honors  the  man,  whom  he  truly  calls  to  proclaim 
'The  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  God.' 

I  have  tried  to  be  faithful  in  preaching  the  truth,  as  found  in  God's 
Holy  Word,  I  have  tried  to  discourage  everybody  from  thinking  they 
could  be  saved,  by  their  moral  lives  ;  and  I  have  tried  to  point  all 
alike  to  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world. 

Daniel  Webster  is  represented  as  having  said,  that  the  one  truth 
which  of  all  others  most  impressed  him,  was  the  fact  of  his  personal 
accountability  to  God ;  and  so  may  we  not  say  that  the  transcendant 
importance  of  the  pastoral  relation,  is  only  seen  when  viewed  in  the 
light  of  eternity. 

When  I  was  a  boy  I  was  much  moved  by  reading  a  sermon,  by 
Jonathan  Edwards,  in  which  he  reminded  his  people  at  Northamp- 
ton that  he  must  answer  at  the  judgment  for  the  way  in  which  he 
had  preached,  while  they  must  answer  for  the  way  they  had  received 
the  word  at  his  mouth  ;  and  so,  my  dear  people,  pleasant  as  this 
pastoral  relation  has  been,  helpful  as  it  may  have  proved  to  us 
mutually,  let  us  not  forget  that  it  is  all  to  be  passed  in  review,  by 
that  Judge  who  cannot  err ;  and  that  it  is  our  privilege  to  be  storing 
up  from  day  to  day,  its  rich  fruits  among  the  rich  treasures  which 
never  fail.  It  is  especially  interesting  to  think  of  this  anniversary, 
in  its  relation  to  the  recent  revival,  in  which  God  has  so  greatly 
blest  this  whole  community,  and  permitted  us  as  a  church  to  be 
enriched  by  so  large  a  number  of  new  recruits.  We  can  think  of 
this  large  ingathering  as  a  crown  which  God  has  placed  upon  our 
mutual  life  as  people  and  pastor.  We  have  labored  and  prayed 
together  and  God  has  not  suffered  us  to  labor  and  pray  in  vain.  Let 
us  welcome  this  band  of  helpers,  as  full  of  promise  for  the  future, 
and  let  us    with    them,    hand    this    church   down  to  our  successors. 


51 


through  the  rich  blessing  of  God,  stronger  and  purer,  and  more 
effective  for  good,  than  it  has  ever  been  before. 

During  all  these  forty  years,  we  have  been  threading  our  way 
through  the  wilderness,  not  knowing  what  a  clay  might  bring  forth — 
living  only  a  day  at  a  time.  In  this  respect,  this  glad  anniversary 
day  of  mutual  congratulations,  is  just  like  every  other  day  of  the 
forty  years,  in  that  we  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow. 

A  kind  Providence  will  turn  the  leaves  of  our  histories  one  by 
one  in  the  future  as  in  the  past ;  and  we  shall  only  need  to  trust 
implicitly  in  Him  who  has  said,  'I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee.'" 

Dr.  Parsons  then  read  the  following  poem  which  was  written 
for  the  occasion  by  Mrs.  Parsons : 


The  way  the  Lord  has  led  us  ; 
These  forty  checkered  years, 

'Mid  doubts  and  fears, 
'Mid  smiles  and  tears 

How  short  the  time  appears. 

The  way  the  Lord  has  led  us; 
Sometimes  the  clouds  were  dark, 

But  through  the  gloom 
The  light  has  shone 

And  we  no  fear  have  known. 

In  the  misty  halls  of  mem'ry, 
The  purpling  shadows  fall, 

For  nearly  all 

Who  gave  the  call 

Have  passed  the  jasper  wall. 


The  way  the  Lord  has  led  us  ; 
A  generation  new 

Has  gathered  'round, 

New  friends  we've  found 

And  this  is  hallowed  ground. 

One  family  above,  below, 
United  in  one  love, 

We're  pressing  on 
To  join  in  song 

With  all  the  blood-bought  throng. 

In  one  unceasing  melody, 
Like  sound  of  ocean  surf, 

With  hope  complete 
Their  joyous  feet 

Now  tread  the  golden  street. 


I  see  the  crimson  banners 
Of  morning  now  unfold  ; 

Hail,  day  so  bright  ! 
Dispel  the  night, 

Arise,  glad  soul,  'tis  Heaven's  light. 


The  evening  exercises,  consisting  of  brief  addresses  by  visiting 
clergy,  were  enlivened  by  a  tale  of  secret  presbyterial  proceedings 
related  by  Rev.  G.  K.  Ward,  of  Dansville,  which  was  after  this 
fashion : 


52 


"  Mv  DEAR  Brother  Parsons  :  I  have  a  somewhat  strange 
story  to  relate  this  evening. 

It  is  with  rekictance  that  I  make  you  acquainted  with  certain 
facts  that  have  come  to  my  knowledge,  but  a  troubled  conscience 
has  driven  me  to  commit  to  writing,  so  that  my  words  may  not  be 
misquoted,  the  confession,  that  within  the  past  few  weeks,  a  secret 
correspondence  has  been  carried  on  by  certain  members  of  the  Pres- 
bytery of  Rochester,  relating  to  one  of  its  members. 

Now  this  member  being  none  other  than  the  honored  pastor  of 
this  church,  for  many  years  the  stated  clerk  of  our  Presbytery,  who 
keeps  all  the  records,  and  at  the  same  time  keeps  everybody  straight ; 
who  is  in  fact  the  Boss  of  the  Presbytery,  as  Dr.  Stebbins  has  said, 
I  did  not  feel  that  it  would  be  proper  for  me  to  withhold  this  informa- 
tion from  him,  since,  in  his  judgment,  it  ought  properly  to  appear  in 
the  minutes  of  Presbytery.  The  purport  of  the  secret  correspond- 
ence referred  to,  was  to  the  effect  that  the  above  mentioned  brother 
should  be  specially  honored,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he  had  come  to 
the  fortieth  anniversary  of  his  pastorate,  as  the  Bishop  of  the  Diocese 
of  Mt.  Morris.  In  proposing  the  manner  in  which  this  should  be 
done,  one  brother  wrote  :  Let  our  honored  brother  be  arrayed  in  a 
gorgeous  robe,  and  a  glittering  crown — a  la  Mordecai  in  the  reign  of 
Queen  Esther ;  let  him  be  placed  upon  a  richly  caparisoned  horse, 
and  led  in  triumph  through  the  streets  of  Mt.  Morris,  while  brother 
Bristol,  or  some  other  horseman  equally  expert,  proclaims,  'Thus 
shall  it  be  done  to  the  man  whom  the  Presbytery  delighteth  to 
honor.' 

This  suggestion  was  considered  quite  unique,  but  there  were 
difficulties  in  the  way.  The  Doctor's  most  intimate  friends  were 
not  quite  sure  he  would  look  well  in  a  robe  and  crown,  never  having 
seen  him  with  those  appurtenances,  and  others  said  that  the  sight  of 
him  upon  horseback  would  be  so  novel  as  to  provoke  laughter  and 
spoil  the  effect,  so  that  plan  was  given  up. 

Another  brother  suggested  that  we  should  present  our  brother 
with  a  luxurious  and  richly  upholstered  armchair,  with  the  names  of 

53 


his  brother  clergymen  engraved  upon  it.  But  this  was  thought  to 
be  too  suggestive  of  retirement ;  as  though  we  were  hinting  that  our 
friend  was  becoming  venerable  and  needed  rest,  so  that  scheme  was 
found  impracticable. 

Then  some  one  wrote  :  Let  us  Doctor  him.  We  had  to  send  for 
explanations,  the  suggestion  being  ambiguous.  'Doctor  him?' 
What  does  that  mean .?  Surely  he  was  doctored  years  ago  !  But 
the  answer  put  a  new  light  upon  the  proposal :  '  Let  us  give  him 
some  pills, '  wrote  the  originator  of  this  marvelous  scheme ;  and  he 
proceeded  to  outline  his  method  and  the  reasons  for  it,  which  were 
so  cogent  that  his  advice  prevailed,  and  all  the  brethren  said,  Amen. 

So  it  came  to  pass  that  your  speaker  was  commissioned  to  pro- 
cure the  medicine  to  be  administered  to  our  dear  brother  upon  his 
fortieth  anniversary.  I  had  been  furnished  with  the  prescription  by 
Dr.  Kittredge,  who  as  you  know  is  quite  a  physician  in  his  way,  and 
I  wended  my  way  to  the  drug  store.  The  proprietor  looked  at  the 
prescription  carefully  a  moment,  then  glancing  up,  '  You  will  have 
to  have  that  put  up  across  the  way.'  I  looked  toward  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street  in  a  bewildered  sort  of  way,  and  saw  nothing  but 
the  bank.  'Where  do  you  mean,'  I  said,  'at  the  bank.?'  'Yes,  that  is 
the  place.'  So  with  astonishment  I  went  over  to  the  bank,  and 
threw  my  paper  down,  in  front  of  the  paying  teller,  with  the  remark, 
'Do  you  fill  clerical  prescriptions  here.?'  What  was  my  surprise  to 
hear  him  answer,  'Certainly,'  and  he  took  up  the  paper,  read  it,  and 
disappeared,  returning  a  moment  later  to  remark,  '  This  presciiption 
calls  for  forty  'gold  cure  pills,'  but  if  the  patient  is  a  large  man,  I 
think  I  had  better  make  up  heavier  pills,  and  not  so  many  of  them.' 
I  said,  'That  will  meet  the  conditions  exactly,'  and  in  a  few 
minutes  he  handed  me  this  pill-box,  marked,  as  you  will  see,  '  Cler- 
ical Gold  Cure,  to  be  taken  once  a  week  or  as  often  as  required.' 

So  now,  my  dear  friends,  I  have  revealed  this  secret.  One  of 
the  brethren  rather  scoffed  at  the  idea  of  the  'gold  cure'  for  Doctor 
Parsons,  who  never  was  known  to  take  so  much  as  a  glass  of  beer 
in  his  life.     What  an  idea !     The  last  person  in  the  world  to  need 

54 


the  gold  cure ! !     But  then,  wrote  another,   Dr.   Parsons  is  a  gold 
man  for  he  is  going  to  stand  on  the  St.  Louis  platform  this  fall. 

And  similia  similibus,  you  know,  as  the  Homeopaths  say.  It 
will  be  all  right.  So  Doctor,  here  are  the  pills  prescribed  for  you  by 
the  Presbytery.  Are  you  fond  of  taking  pills .?  No .?  I  assure  you 
these  are  not  bitter,  they  are  easy  to  take,  and  you  must  take  them 
anyway,  for  there  was  a  unanimous  vote  in  the  Presbytery  to  this 
effect,  and  you  know  you  have  never  failed  to  obey  the  will  of  the 
Presbytery.  Take  them  with  our  best  wishes.  I  trust  that  they 
will  do  you  good,  and  help  to  cure  every  heart-ache,  in  the  sweet 
remembrance  that  your  brethren  in  this  Presbytery  love  and  honor 
you." 


The  closing  years  of  Dr.  Parsons'  life  were  fully  as  crowded  with 
cares  and  responsibilities  as  any  that  preceded,  for  his  zeal  in  the 
Master's  work  abated  in  no  degree,  while  his  genuine  interest  in 
others  aud  desire  to  be  helpful  led  him,  as  always,  to  enter  heartily 
into  any  cause  that  might  promote  their  happiness  or  welfare. 

Long  usage  never  led  to  neglect  of  parochial  duties.  With  his 
wife  he  still  continued  to  visit  each  home  in  his  parish  twice  a  year ; 
and  many  were  the  calls  in  addition  to  comfort  the  sick,  cheer  the 
lonely,  or  welcome  newcomers.  He  was  a  faithful  teacher  in  the 
Sabbath  school,  and  a  regular  attendant  of  the  Christian  Endeavor 
society,  where  he  was  always  ready  to  take  some  helpful  part. 
Moreover  he  was  accustomed  to  prepare  for  each  Sabbath  one 
written  sermon  and  one  extempore.  During  these  latter  years,  also, 
he  held  a  third  service  once  a  month  at  Craig  Colony  for  Epileptics, 
which  was  a  source  of  great  comfort  to  himself  because  of  the  warm 
gratitude  expressed  by  those  unfortunates. 

Although  involving  much  outside  work  and  an  extensive  corres- 
pondence, his  devotion  to  ecclesiastical  affairs  never  flagged.  No 
regular  meeting  of  Presbytery  found  his  name  recorded  among 
the  absentees,  or  lacked  the  guidance   of  his  knowledge  and  fore- 

55 


thought,  while  his  appointment  by  Synod  and  General  Assembly 
upon  important  committees  often  necessitated  long  journeys  to 
attend  extra  sessions  of  the  same. 

Amid  all  these  labors,  the  preparation  of  the  Half  Century 
Annalist's  letter  for  the  class  of  '49  of  Hamilton  College,  was  no 
small  task.  This  is  pervaded  by  that  freshness  of  spirit  and  genial 
humor,  always  a  most  lovable  feature  of  his  character,  which  time 
never  dimmed.     We  quote  from  its  opening: 

"This  occasion  may  be  sad  or  joyful,  depressing  or  inspiring, 
just  as  we  may  be  determined  to  view  it.  As  retrospective  merely, 
it  must  be  sad,  as  a  summing  up  of  achievements  for  their  own  sake, 
we  cannot  evade  the  conclusion  that  all  is  vanity  ;  but  when  we  think 
of  the  work  we  have  done,  and  the  victories  we  have  gained,  not  as 
past,  but  even  now  as  a  part  of  ourselves,  and  potential  for  our 
higher  development,  and  nobler,  purer,  and  more  complete  charac- 
ters, when  we  realize  that  we  are  only  in  the  infancy  of  our  existence, 
then  such  a  union  is  refreshing — stimulating  and  full  of  hope. 

To  the  graduates  of  to-day,  we  probably  seem  as  old  men  ;  but 
this  is  their  mistake — their  eyes  are  out  of  focus — a  defect  which 
fifty  years  will  correct.  We  know  better,  we  know  that  we  are  still 
but  boys,  in  the  preparatory  department  of  God's  great  university, 
hard  at  work  as  ever,  in  studying  our  first  lessons,  with  interest  not 
only  unabated,  but  increasingly  intense. 

It  is  pleasant  indeed  to  call  up  the  memories  of  our  college  life ; 
those  were  happy  days,  and  our  advantages  were  exceptionally  good. 
Fifty  years  have  not  abated  the  respect  which  we  then  cherished  for 
our  faithful  teachers.  We  can  now  see  them,  as  they  occupied  their 
conspicuous  seats  in  the  chapel,  at  morning  and  evening  prayers ; 
President  North,  with  Professors  Avery,  Mandeville,  Catlin,  Dwight, 
North  and  Upson.  They  were  scholars  and  instructors  and  gentle- 
men. They  knew  how  to  manage  boys,  and  have  patience  with  their 
infirmities.  Those  were  not  dull  days — we  managed  to  keep  things 
lively  and  give  the  faculty  something  to  do.     I  am  sorry  to  say,  that 

56 


with  the  most  of  us,  we  were  not  over-studious  ;  there  was  no  danger 
that  "much  learning  would  make  us  mad."  In  our  opinion,  the 
most  successful  recitation  was  the  one  we  got  out  of.  X^at  a  pro- 
fessor was  sick,  and  unable  to  meet  his  class,  was  not  regarded  as 
an  unmixed  evil,  we  were  always  quick  to  discover  the  silver  lining 
to  the  cloud. 

In  our  transition  from  Freshmen  to  Sophomores,  there  was  a 
lightning  rod  affair,  connected  with  rust  ringing,  that  requires  some 
explanation.  It  was  a  fine  illustration  of  unity  in  diversity.  The 
faculty  and  the  boys  were  all  after  the  same  thing,  only  in  different 
ways.  All  alike  were  anxious  for  the  honor  of  the  college,  and  the 
glory  of  Old  Hamilton  ;  the  faculty  by  maintaining  order,  sustaining 
government  and  keeping  up  at  least  a  show  of  authority ;  while  the 
boys  were  zealous  for  the  traditions  of  the  elders,  and  cherished 
those  ancestral  customs,  which  they  had  found  as  a  part  of  the 
college,  and  in  their  opinion  perhaps  even  the  more  important  part. 
This  difference  became  quite  interesting,  as  rust  ringing  night  found 
the  faculty  occupying  the  entire  lower  part  of  the  chapel,  while  the 
boys  were  limited  to  the  belfry.  The  two  parties  stood  in  the  rela- 
tion of  besiegers  and  besieged,  and  the  question  was  one  of  endur- 
ance. The  contest  was  proving  quite  unequal,  for  the  faculty 
presumably  was  fortified  by  pies,  cakes  and  cold  coffee,  while  we  in 
the  belfry  who  were  enduring  the  siege,  were  destitute  of  all  the 
provisions.  But  what  about  the  lightning  rod  ?  much  every  way, 
but  especially  down.  To  Benjamin  Franklin  belongs  the  high  honor 
of  discovering  the  utility  of  the  lightning  rod,  as  a  conductor  of 
electricity,  but  to  the  class  of  '49,  the  hardly  less  honor,  of  discover- 
ing its  equal  utility,  as  a  conductor  of  boys ;  yes,  perhaps,  we  may 
claim  a  greater  honor,  for  lightning  can  take  care  of  itself,  but  boys 
have  not  always  that  ability.  As  we  on  that  eventful  night  stood  in 
that  belfry,  having  performed  our  last  duty  as  Freshmen,  and  made 
sure  that  the  bell  was  free  from  rust,  and  according  to  all  ancestral 
usage,  had  pro\'ed  ourselves  worthy  of  the  name  of  Sophomore,  we 
could  have  gone  up  a  lightning  rod  or  down  just  as  the  emergency 

57 


might  require.  In  the  present  instance  there  were  three  important 
reasons,  why  we  decided  to  go  down ;  the  first  reason  was,  that  we 
were  already  as  high  as  we  cared  to  be,  there  was  nothing  to  be 
gained  by  a  farther  ascent  and  there  was  everything  to  be  gained  by 
a  descent ;  our  second  reason  was,  that  it  was  then  past  our  bed- 
time, the  most  of  us  having  been  brought  up  in  Puritan  famiUes, 
with  the  lullaby,  'early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise.'  But  our  third, 
and  indeed  our  strongest  reason  for  going  down  rather  than  up,  was 
to  avoid  the  faculty.  But  why  avoid  the  faculty  when  we  all  alike 
were  after  the  honor  of  the  college  and  they  were  waiting  to  receive 
us  with  open  arms.?  That  was  just  the  difficulty — it  was  the  open 
arms  we  were  afraid  of ;  it  was  an  instance  of  distrust  of  proffered 
friendship.  But  to  be  brief  in  this  description  we  retired  to  our 
rooms  that  night  just  as  usual,  only  we  went  byway  of  the  lightning 
rod.  As  to  the  subsequent  movements  of  the  faculty,  of  course  our 
testimony  is  not  admissable.  Presumably  they  held  the  entire 
chapel  as  long  as  they  cared  to,  or  at  least  as  long  as  the  cold  coffee 
and  other  provisions  lasted ;  and  whether  they  then  formed  in  pro- 
cession and  marched  away  with  their  lunch  baskets  on  their  arms,  or 
one  by  one  stole  quietly  to  their  homes,  we  shall  never  know.  It  is 
a  pleasant  reflection  that  that  was  a  night  of  victory  all  around  ;  the 
faculty  had  its  own  way,  kept  up  a  show  of  authority,  conquered  the 
whole  of  the  chapel,  held  it  as  long  as  they  cared  to,  and  went  home 
when  they  got  ready ;  while  the  boys  sustained  the  honored  customs, 
lifted  themselves  into  unquestioned  Sophomoric  dignity,  and  proved 
themselves  superior  to  the  faculty  in  strategy.  Wherever  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  a  member  of  the  class  of  '49  may  see  a  lightning 
rod  he  can  afford  to  take  off  his  hat ;  for  it  always  speaks  hopefully, 
assuring  him  that  however  tight  may  be  the  place  he  is  in,  there  is 
certainly  a  way  out.  " 

It  is  pleasant  to  remember  the  tribute  of  affection  given  during 
his  last  year  by  his  townspeople  in  the  "  Closing  Century  Reception  " 
held  at  his  home  December  7th,   1900.     Members  of  every  denomi- 

58 


nation  assembled  to  express  their  love  and  esteem,  leaving  a  valuable 
souvenir  of  their  visit. 

His  failing  health  had  for  several  months  caused  much  anxiety. 
His  family  often  urged  the  relinquishment  of  a  portion  of  his  work  ; 
but  he  refused,  saying,  "I  wish  to  die  in  the  harness,"  and  again  to 
his  wife,  "I  feel,  'Woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  Gospel.'  " 

Though  his  physical  powers  were  impaired,  the  powerful  sermons 
produced  at  this  time  show  undiminished  mental  vigor  and  increas- 
ing knowledge  of  spiritual  things.  Among  them  will  long  be 
remembered  the  Thanksgiving  sermon  of  1899,  the  Closing  Century 
sermon,  and  the  sermon  commemorative  of  the  death  of  Queen 
Victoria.  As  the  end  drew  near  his  themes  became  strangely  pro- 
phetic of  the  approaching  change. 

Sunday  evening,  March  31st,  he  stood  for  the  last  time  in  his 
pulpit  to  preach  to  his  people.  His  subject  was  the  death  of  Aaron, 
which  he  depicted  with  singular  vividness,  describing  the  ascent  of 
Mt.  Hor  at  the  command  of  the  Lord,  the  laying  aside  of  the  priestly 
garments,  and  the  yielding  of  his  spirit  to  his  Maker. 

The  following  Sunday  was  Easter.  Dr.  Parsons  administered 
the  communion,  and  standing  by  the  table,  spoke  earnestly  from  the 
words,  "That  I  may  know  him,  and  the  power  of  his  resurrection, 
and  the  fellowship  of  his  sufferings,  being  made  conformable  unto 
his  death.  If  by  any  means  I  might  attain  unto  the  resurrection  of 
the  dead. " 

That  night  the  disease  which  had  clung  to  him  for  many  months 
took  an  acute  form.  The  duties  which  he  accomplished  with  such 
diligence,  and  such  delight,  were  his  to  perform  no  longer.  Instead 
he  was  called  to  lie  upon  his  bed  of  patient  suffering. 

He  talked  little,  but  his  meditation  was  sweet.  He  expressed  to 
his  wife  great  comfort  in  the  abundant  store  of  scripture  which  his 
memory  contained.  Once  when  death  seemed  near,  he  repeated  the 
prayer  learned  at  his  mother's  knee,  "  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep." 

The  end,  however,  did  not  come  till  some  three  weeks  later.  On 
the  morning  of  Memorial  Day,  1901,  his  spirit  entered  the  home  not 

59 


made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  "And  I  heard  a  voice 
from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die  in  the 
Lord  from  henceforth ;  yea  saith  the  spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from 
their  labors ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them." 

Dr.  Parsons  is  survived  by  his  wife  and  eight  children :  Dr. 
Stoyell  C.  Parsons,  of  San  Angelo,  Texas ;  Levi  E.,  of  Marcellus, 
New  York ;  Dr.  Henry  T.,  of  Beech  Creek,  Pennsylvania ;  Arthur 
L.,  of  Mt.  Morris,  and  the  Misses  Elizabeth  L.,  Mary  A.,  Gertrude 
W.,  and  Annie  C,  who  reside  at  the  home. 

Referring  to  Dr.  Parsons  the  Mount  Morris  Union  said : 

'*  To  us  who  knew  him,  who  have  watched  his  every  day  life  for 
all  these  years,  and  who  loved  him  for  his  manhood,  his  tenderness, 
his  Christian  graces  and  his  grand  stability,  the  honors  accorded  him 
by  his  church  and  college  are  but  a  feeble  expression  of  the  largeness 
of  the  man.  In  our  hearts  he  occupies  the  inner  sanctuary,  where 
we  cherish  all  that  is  best  and  highest  in  our  experiences.  At  our 
marriages,  our  christenings,  our  funerals,  in  society,  in  business,  in 
civic  life,  there  has  been  this  good  man  ;  his  cheerful,  hopeful  heart 
has  joined  with  us  in  all  our  joys,  his  pure  spirit  and  unfailing  trust 
in  God's  supremacy  and  wisdom  has  been  our  stay  in  affliction,  his 
clear,  cool,  deliberate  judgment  has  been  our  guide  in  business  and 
civic  life. 

Although  always  first  Christ's  Messenger,  still  Dr.  Parsons'  mind 
was  clear  and  his  judgment  safe  on  all  business  propositions  and  he 
took  a  deep  and  intelligent  interest  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  busi- 
ness and  political  world,  and  greatly  enjoyed  discussing  these 
questions  with  his  friends.  While  at  all  times  he  kept  abreast  with 
the  advanced  thinkers  of  the  age,  he  was  by  nature  conservative,  and 
rarely  spoke  or  acted  without  due  consideration,  hence  his  utterances 
bore  weight,  if  not  conviction  to  his  hearers. 

We  cannot  tell  how  many  hundreds  of  sin-burdened  souls  have 
been  brought  to  the  light  of  Christ  under  the  ministrations  of  Dr. 
Parsons.  We  only  know  that  the  number  is  very  large,  and  that  his 
Master's  verdict  will  be,  "Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful 
servant. " 

60 


iEl)t  ]fm\tV(Xl  lExfrriarB. 


ON  the  afternoon  of  June  3r(l,  1901,  a  brief  service  was  con- 
ducted at  the  family  residence  by  Rev.  W.  A.  Stirling, 
rector  of  St.  John's  Episcopal  church.  Immediately  after, 
public  services  were  held  in  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  during 
which  time  the  schools  and  all  places  of  business  in  the  village  were 
closed.  The  church  was  heavily  draped  in  black,  while  many  beau- 
tiful flowers  surrounding  the  pulpit  testified  to  the  regard  of  a 
bereaved  people.  A  throng  of  nearly  eight  hundred  persons  crowded 
the  building,  showing  the  esteem  in  which  Dr.  Parsons  was  held,  not 
only  by  his  congregation  but  by  the  community  at  large.  About 
fifty  clergymen  of  Presbyterian  and  other  denominations  were 
present. 

The  elders  of  the  church  officiated  as  bearers  :  Samuel  L.  Rock- 
fellow  and  Miles  B.  McNair  as  honorary  bearers,  and  Robert  Craw- 
ford, John  M.  Hastings,  Henry  M.  Swan,  Frank  H.  Mills,  Joshua 
C.  Weeks  and  Jacob  Knappenberg  as  active  bearers. 

When  the  casket  had  been  placed  before  the  pulpit,  the  choir 
chanted  "Blessed  are  the  dead  who  die  in  the  Lord,"  after  which 
the  prayer  of  invocation  was  offered  by  Rev.  ¥.  Gutelius  of  Moscow. 
The  scripture,  selected  and  often  used  for  the  comfort  of  other 
mourning  hearts  by  Dr.  Parsons  himself,  was  then  read  by  Rev.  J.N. 
Carmichael  of  Caledonia,  and  was  followed  by  a  sympathetic  render- 
ing of  the  hymn,  "Jesus,  still  lead  on." 

Rev.  Herman  C.  Riggs,  D.  D.,  of  Rochester,  then  delivered  the 
opening  address : 

61 


"There  is,  for  all  who  speak  to-day,  but  one  theme  and  thought. 
Our  utterances  will  weave  themselves  into  a  loving  tribute  to  the 
name  and  work  and  memory  of  our  beloved  brother,  who  for  nearly 
half  a  century  has  lived  in  this  community,  the  pastor  of  many,  the 
friend  of  all. 

It  is  to  be  my  privilege  to  speak  of  Dr.  Levi  Parsons,  the  man. 
And  he  was  the  thoroughly  true  and  noble  man.  In  every  department 
and  feature  of  manliness  he  was  admirable.  Even  physically  he  had 
the  marked  advantage  of  a  full  development.  He  was  a  man  of  large 
frame  and  fine  bodily  proportion.  His  physical  presence  was  com- 
manding. On  the  street,  or  in  any  assembly,  he  was  a  marked 
figure.  As  he  entered  the  homes  of  his  people  he  carried  into  them 
an  atmosphere  of  power.  In  his  prime  he  could  have  given  delight 
to  the  Greek  in  his  enjoyment  of  physical  perfection  as  an  ideal. 
He  was  gifted,  too,  with  an  unusual  voice,  strong  and  deep  and 
round  and  rich,  an  instrument  for  service  in  the  ministries  of  his 
life  such  as  few  possess  or  can  possibly  acquire.  It  could  rise  at  his 
command  to  the  utterance  of  most  forceful  thought,  it  could  tremble 
with  the  soft  sympathy  and  pathos  of  deepest  feeling. 

Dr.  Parsons'  mental  equipment  and  furnishing  were  of  high 
order.  In  this  regard  nature  had  been  generous  to  him.  In  his 
physical  frame,  which  many  might  covet  and  which  all  must  have 
admired,  was  enshrined  a  broad,  active,  vigorous,  well  adjusted  and 
balanced  intellect.  It  was,  moreover,  an  intellect  disciplined  by 
education,  refined  by  culture,  enriched  by  patient  and  thoughtful 
research.  It  enabled  him  to  grow  with  each  advancing  year,  into 
broader  mental  attainments,  into  surer  and  safer  knowledge,  into 
soundness  of  judgment,  into  clearness  of  comprehension,  into  careful 
accuracy  of  discrimination  and  conclusion. 

In  all  his  mental  operation  he  was  industrious  and  earnest,  serious 
and  thoughtful.  He  was  a  man  of  great  energy  and  positiveness, 
yet  combined  with,  what  is  so  often  lacking  in  such  natures,  a  wise 
prudence  and  a  liberal  caution.  He  was  a  thinker  and  believer  of 
the  old  sort.     He  believed  in  the  Bible  as  the  one  divine  book  of  the 

62 


world,  and  lie  built  strongly  and  rested  peacefully  upon  its  declara- 
tions of  truth.  He  knew  that  in  these  he  had  a  sure  foundation 
which  did  not  need  to  be  relaid  with  ever  repeated  investigations,  or 
fortified  with  ever  changing  arguments.  Nevertheless,  his  mind  was 
characterized  by  great  candor.  He  was  broadly  and  cordially  open 
to  all  truth,  in  its  ever  varying  discoveries,  and  in  its  ever  advancing 
utterances.  If  he  was  slow  to  accept  what  presents  itself  as  new,  or 
to  change  his  once  fi.xed  convictions,  this  was  not  in  him  a  sign  of 
sluggishness  but  only  of  carefulness.  He  was  not  ready  to  consider 
a  matter  necessarily  true  or  better  because  it  is  new,  or  necessarily 
false  or  imperfect  because  it  is  old.  But  if  the  light  was  really 
shining,  in  whatever  quarter,  from  whatever  source,  he  was  glad  to 
see  it  and  to  give  it' welcome. 

All  this  wrought  itself  into  his  work  as  a  preacher.  He  preached 
the  great  Gospel  doctrines  unfalteringly :  regeneration  by  the  Spirit 
of  God ;  conversion,  as  the  decisive  and  final  act  of  the  soul  in  turn- 
ing from  sin  unto  righteousness,  from  the  world  unto  God ;  conse- 
cration, as  the  soul's  surrender  of  itself  in  absolute  faith  to  Christ, 
to  be  kept  by  Him,  to  be  guided  by  Him,  to  be  used  by  Him  in  His 
work  in  the  world.  Compelled  to  believe  in  sin  as  a  dire  reality  of 
evil  regnant  in  all  men  by  nature,  the  doctrines  of  Grace  exalted 
themselves  before  his  thought  and  glorified  themselves  in  his  teach- 
ing. None  could  delight  more  than  he  in  the  beauty  of  the  ethical 
Christ.  As  the  example  of  all  that  is  pure  and  lovely,  all  that  is 
sweet  and  true,  he  rejoiced  to  present  Him  to  men.  But  with  all 
his  mind  and  heart  he  also  believed  in  the  suffering  Christ.  It  was 
of  Him,  and  of  the  Christian's  fellowship  in  His  sufferings,  he  spoke 
his  last  word  to  his  people  in  that  Easter  communion  service  with 
which  his  ministry  closed.  With  all  his  mind  and  heart  he  believed 
in  the  atoning  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  mystery  deeper  than  the 
sea  out  of  which  rises  up  all  the  beauty  and  music  of  His  transcend- 
ent life.  With  all  his  mind  and  heart  he  believed  in  the  sure  forgive- 
ness of  sin,  through  the  believing  sinner's  acceptance  of  the 
redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  so  he  preached  for  forty- 
five  years. 

63 


Doctor  Parsons  was  also  a  man  of  great  heart.  If  he  was  serious, 
just  as  truly  was  he  cheerful.  Genuine  cheerfulness  played  through 
the  solid  substance  and  stuff  of  his  character  like  irridescence 
through  the  opal  gem.  His  sympathies  were  enlarged  and  liberal. 
They  were  always  ready  to  meet  every  demand.  Without  hesitation 
those  who  needed  counsel  turned  to  him  for  it,  assured  that  the 
counsel  he  would  give  would  be  well  considered  and  thoroughly 
prudent.  Without  hesitation  those  who  needed  comfort,  coming  to 
him  with  hearts  beset  and  struggling  and  sore,  knew  that  if  there 
were  any  healing  branch  for  their  bitterness,  he  would  find  it.  His 
friendliness  was  large  enough  to  touch  and  bless  with  its  recognition 
all  who  came  within  the  horizon  of  his  acquaintance,  in  his  congre- 
gation, in  the  Presbytery,  in  the  Seminary,  of  whose  trustees  he  was 
the  honored  and  trusted  president,  in  the  State  and  Nation.  We 
have  beautiful  witness  here  to-day  that,  outside  of  his  own  congrega- 
tion, among  Christians  of  every  creed  and  citizens  of  every  class  in 
this  community,  his  heart  had  an  interest  and  a  blessing  for  all.  Yet 
in  his  more  intimate  preferences  and  friendships  he  was  strongly 
discriminative.  All  were  his  friends,  but  all  were  not  alike  his 
friends.  There  was  love  in  his  heart  for  everyone,  but  there  was 
selecting  and  special  love  for  the  few  who  gained  access  into  his 
heart's  holy  of  holies.  And  toward  these  there  was  a  charming 
simplicity  and  wholeheartedness  and  constancy  such  as  none  but  the 
finest  natures  can  show,  such  as  in  its  own  nature  must  be  special 
and  selecting. 

To  those  who  in  any  true  sense  knew  Dr.  Parsons,  it  is  needless 
to  say  that  he  was  a  profoundly  spiritual  man.  Christianity  was 
much  more  to  him  than  knowledge  and  belief.  It  was  also  exper- 
ience. The  doctrine  which  he  accepted  intellectually,  and  over 
which  his  wondering  spirit  hovered  with  studious  search  to  entice  its 
meaning  into  manifestation,  was  also  an  enrapturing  life  to  him. 
His  soul  fed  upon  it  as  upon  heavenly  manna,  and  grew  into  the 
strength  and  sweetness  of  the  heavenly  life.  What  all  this  meant 
to  him,  in  his  personal  life  as  a  Christian  man,  is  a  secret  with  which 

64 


none  may  intermeddle.  But  wherein  its  sweetness  and  life  broke 
through  his  sermons,  and  lighted  up  with  wondrous  illumination  his 
prayers,  and  trembled  under  the  wisdom  and  pathos  of  his  pastoral 
ministrations,  and  glorified  his  face  with  the  calm  serenity  of  his 
soul's  peace,  we  all  knew  it  and  shared  with  him  its  blessings. 
There  have  been  times  in  the  relation  of  many  of  us  to  him,  when 
consciously  to  ourselves  he  has  led  us  very  near  to  God. 

And  now  into  that  immediate  presence  he  has  gone.  Another 
friend  is  added  to  the  growing  number  whose  blessed  memory  we 
shall  carry  with  us  through  our  own  future  years.  One  after  another 
our  homes  and  sanctuaries,  united  and  beautiful  in  every  loving  and 
sanctifying  relation,  are  darkened  by  the  coming  in  of  death  and 
saddened  by  the  going  forth  of  some  beloved  and  cherished  one. 

Brief  indeed  must  be  our  fellowships  were  it  in  the  power  of 
death  to  end  them.  But  if  these  are  fellowships  and  pastorates  and 
fatherhoods  in  Christ,  this  power  cannot  pertain  to  death.  Our 
loved  ones  go  out  from  the  daily  intercourse  and  the  face  to  face 
communion,  yet  are  they  as  truly  one  with  us  and  we  with  them  as 
when  they  were  here  beside  us.  In  the  immaturity  of  his  youth  and 
the  overwhelming  of  his  first  great  grief,  Tennyson  could  only  think 
of  death  as  the  shattering  of  the  sea  against  the  cold  gray  stones,  a 
hopeless  breaking  up  of  the  waves.  But  as  later  years  brought  to 
him  their  ripening  and  mellowing  experiences,  and  the  time  of  his 
own  departing  drew  near,  death  seemed  rather  like  the  full  tide 
turning  back  in  unbroken  swell  to  the  boundless  deep  from  whence 
it  came. 

Friends,  humanity  is  one  great,  undivided  sea,  the  waves  that 
break  on  the  shore  of  time  are  the  same  that  sweep  back  toward 
eternity's  shore  at  the  turning  of  the  tide.  "Saints  on  earth  and 
saints  in  heaven  but  one  communion  make." 

Our  beloved  brother  Parsons  has  gone  on  in  advance.  But  we 
are  following  fast,  and  we  will  soon  be  with  him  again.  We  will  find 
him  glorified,  transfigured,  his  faith  consummated  in  vision,  his 
power  released  for  such  service  as  we  cannot  now  imagine.     Thank 

65 


God  for  what  he  was  here !  Thank  God  for  his  strong  nature,  his 
faithful  hfe,  his  honorable  work  !  Thank  God,  even  though  we  must 
choke  back  our  sobs  to  do  it,  and  look  out  towards  the  glory  through 
blinding   tears,    thank   God   for   the   heaven   into   which  dear  Dr. 


Parsons  has  gone. 


Immediately  after  Dr.  Riggs,  Rev.  J.  E.  Kittredge,  D.  D.,  of 
Geneseo,  spoke  as  follows : 

"  Looking  upon  the  face  of  this  beloved  brother,  our  Doctor 
Parsons,  last  Friday  morning,  how  could  one  fail  to  note  the  impress 
of  the  perfect  peace  that  passeth  understanding,  or  help  exclaiming, 

Servant  of  God,  well  done. 
Rest  from  thy  loved  employ. 

For  fifty  years  he  has  been  a  servant  of  God,  consciously,  by 
glad  confession,  and  by  a  full  manifestation  to  men.  And  all  this 
time  he  has  been  doing  God's  work  well,  doing  it  with  conspicuous 
fidelity,  with  a  thoroughness  and  effectiveness  that  have  been  grow- 
ing steadily  with  the  years  on  to  the  end ;  for  as  you  know,  the 
best  sermons  of  his  life,  he  has  been  preaching  in  these  recent  years. 
His  wise  counsel  was  never  wiser  and  his  spirit,  which  has  always 
been  so  gracious,  has  seemed  recently  just  a  degree  more  gracious, 
if  possible,  than  ever.     He  has  gone  from  us  in  full-orbed  strength. 

It  is  just  fifty  years  since  God's  call  reached  him.  He  was 
at  East  Bloomfield,  a  teacher  in  the  village  academy,  when  the 
awakening  came  through  the  magnetic  touch  of  the  pastor.  Dr. 
Henry  Kendall. 

Yet  back  of  East  Bloomfield  and  Dr.  Kendall  were  Marcellus 
and  the  Christian  home.  And  extending  back  was  a  long  line  of  a 
godly  ancestry — six  generations  of  them — reaching  to  Northhamp- 
ton, Mass.,  and  the  training  school  of  that  giant,  Jonathan  Edwards, 
and  yet  back  to  the  early  Hartford  settlement,  in  the  year  1630.  It 
was  a  line  abounding  in  men  of  the   typical   New   England   stock, 

66 


men  of  brawn  and  brain,  men  of  solid  oak,  men  of  sanest  sense  and 
saintliness,  men  who  kept  the  faith. 

Our  Doctor  Parsons  was  born  in  Marcellus  in  1829,  the  second 
day  of  January.  It  is  recalled  as  a  feature  of  the  boy  that  on  the 
farm  he  was  fond  "of  putting  things  to  rights,"  revealing  the  love 
of  order  that  always  distinguished  him  and  made  him  worth  so 
much  to  us  all  and  to  the  church  at  large.  He  has  always  been 
trying  to  put  things  right.  He  was  prepared  for  college  by  his 
father  with  some  previous  study  in  the  village  school  and  Moravia 
Academy.  Hamilton  graduated  him  in  1849  with  high  honor,  and 
later,  after  twenty-five  years,  added  his  Doctor's  Degree.  To  him 
the  Master's  call  meant  the  full  ministry  of  the  Gospel.  So  he 
entered  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  was  licensed  to  preach  by 
Cayuga  Presbytery  in  1853,  was  graduated  in  1854,  and  for  nearly 
two  years  had  charge  of  the  Otisco  church,  the  largest  and  ablest 
church  at  that  time  in  Onondaga  county. 

Then  it  was  in  1856  that  he  came  to  Mt.  Morris  and  began  his 
memorable  ministry  of  more  than  forty-five  years.  What  he  has 
been  to  this  community,  in  worth,  no  man  can  compute.  You 
cannot  reckon  up  the  value  of  a  true  Christian  man  in  any  com- 
munity.    He  is  a  power  for  goodness,  his  presence  a  benediction. 

Doctor  Parsons  has  been  here  an  eminent  citizen,  and  this  fact 
will  grow  with  you.  He  loved  this  village,  as  Paul  loved  Tarsus. 
Every  interest,  of  business,  educational,  moral,  political,  was  dear  to 
him.  You  made  him  with  propriety,  your  historian,  and  he  gave 
you,  in  1894,  your  'Mt.  Morris  Centenary.'  He  kept  abreast  of  the 
times,  was  alive  to  present  problems  with  a  mind  broad  as  the 
nation  and  the  world.     *     * 

Doctor  Parsons,  dear  friends,  will  be  missed  in  no  ordinary  way. 
He  really  left  us  at  toaster.  That  sermon  on  the  day  of  Resurrec- 
tion was  his  last.  Only  now  and  then,  in  the  interval  since,  has  he 
been  visible  to  any  of  us.  Like  his  blessed  Master,  he  was  taken 
up  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  our  sight.  He  has  dropped  upon 
us  in  the  going,  a  benediction.     Oh,  there  ought  to  be  now  a  Pentc- 

67 


cost  following,  a  fresh  Baptism  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  He  has  joined 
the  choir  of  the  invisible.  We  feel  the  upward  attraction  anew,  and 
unite  in  the  prayer, 

O,  may  I  join  the  choir  invisible, 

Of  those  immortal  dead  who  live  again 

In  minds  made  better  by  their  presence. 


Prof.  Edward  W.  Miller,  of  Auburn  Theological  Seminary,  then 
said : 

"  Those  who  have  just  spoken,  have  referred  to  our  departed 
brother  in  his  relationships  as  a  friend,  as  a  pastor,  and  as  a  fellow 
Presbyter.  *  *  It  is  because  of  a  service  of  long  and  loving  and 
self  sacrificing  devotion  to  Auburn  Seminary,  rendered  by  this  man 
of  God  now  gone  to  his  reward,  that  I  am  given  the  privilege  of 
offering,  on  behalf  of  that  institution,  our  tribute  of  grateful 
appreciation. 

Dr.  Parsons'  relations  to  Auburn  Seminary  were  peculiarly  inti- 
mate. They  were  in  a  true  sense  a  heritage.  As  far  back  as  1830 
when  the  seminary  was  in  its  infancy  his  father  became  president  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees.  This  responsible  position  he  held  until  his 
death    in    1864. 

The  son,  whose  memory  we  to-day  honor,  entered  the  seminary  as 
a  student  in  1851,  was  graduated  in  1854,  and  ten  years  later  at  the 
death  of  his  father  was  elected  trustee  as  his  successor.  In  that 
capacity  he  served  the  seminary  for  thirty-seven  years,  or  until  his 
death.  So  that  the  combined  service  of  father  and  son  covers  the 
long  period  of  eighty  years,  the  entire  life  of  the  seminary.  Dr. 
Parsons  Jr.  was  in  1893  elected  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
which  position,  like  his  father,  he  held  until  his  death. 

And  now  that  God  has  called  this  noble  servant  of  his  to  the  joy 
of  his  presence,  we  of  the  seminary  he  so  long  and  faithfully  served 
unite  with  you,  his  parishioners  and  neighbors,  in  a  deep  sense  of 
loss  and  bereavement. 

68 


For  in  the  death  of  Dr.  Parsons  we  have  lost  not  only  an  admin- 
istrator wise  in  counsel,  and  sedulous  in  devotion,  but  we  have  lost 
a  dear  personal  friend.  He  was  a  man  who  won  the  reverence  and 
affection  of  his  associates.  He  grappled  them  to  his  large  heart 
with  bonds  stronger  than  'hoops  of  steel.' 

A  colleague  of  his  in  the  Board  of  Trustees,  a  prominent  judge, 
who  but  for  illness  would  be  here  to-day,  speaking  with  me  yesterday 
referred  to  Dr.  Parsons  in  the  terms  of  warmest  affection,  and  spoke 
of  his  death  as  a  deep  personal  grief.  He  spoke  of  the  grace  and 
dignity  with  which  he  presided  in  the  board,  of  his  wise  counsel,  his 
sound  judgment,  his  broad  outlook,  his  keen  prescience,  and  also  of 
the  atmosphere  of  noble,  generous  thought  and  feeling  which  sur- 
rounded him.  He  mentioned  the  beautiful  prayers  with  which  Dr. 
Parsons  invariably  closed  the  meetings  of  the  board — prayers  so 
reverent  and  simple  and  direct  that  they  seemed  to  lead  one  into  the 
very  presence  of  God.  Every  word  and  deed  of  his  was  an  expres- 
sion of  his  deep,  calm  soul  life  of  faith  and  prayer.  *  *  Hence 
we  his  friends  of  the  seminary  which  he  served  so  long  and  nobly, 
mourn  to-day  not  only  the  loss  of  a  revered  and  beloved  friend. 
We  lament  the  removal  from  our  midst  of  an  inspiring  example  of 
devoted  Christian  manhood.  " 


The  concluding  address  was  given  by  Rev.  Loren  Stiles,  of  the 
M.  E.  church  of  this  village  : 

*  *  "When  Elisha,  the  prophet  of  God,  was  sick  of  the  sick- 
ness wherewith  he  died,  Joash  the  king  came  and  wept  over  his  face 
and  said,  'O,  my  father,  my  father,  the  chariots  of  Israel,  and  the 
horsemen  thereof.'  So  standing  beside  this  dear  form  this  afternoon 
I  say,  '  O  !  my  father,  my  father,  the  bulwark  and  strong  defence  of 
Christ's  cause  in  this  community.'  For  nearly  a  half  century  his 
noble  form  has  been  seen  on  these  streets  and  in  this  pulpit ;  his  rich 
and  powerful  voice  has  been  heard  in  defence  of  the  truth  as 
declared  in  God's  word.     *     *     * 


69 


He  has  done  a  notable  work  for  the  Presbytery,  for  the  Semi- 
nary and  for  the  church  at  large.  They  have  recognized  the  value 
of  his  work  and  have  honored  him  again  and  again,  but  the  very  best 
there  was  in  that  life  has  been  expended  for  you.  Your  interests, 
your  uplifting,  your  salvation  was  always  first  in  his  thought  and 
effort.  How  fully  was  his  life  woven  into  the  life  of  this  com- 
munity !  Not  only  has  he  moulded  your  thought  by  his  clear  and 
forcible  preaching  of  the  truth,  but  he  has  been  in  your  homes,  at 
your  marriages,  at  the  christening  of  your  children,  in  the  times  of 
sickness  and  sorrow  and  bereavement.  His  sympathy  has  never 
been  lacking,  his  words  of  consolation  have  always  been  exactly 
suited  to  the  needs  of  the  hour.  You  will  bear  witness  this  after- 
noon that  his  ministrations  were  just  as  freely  given  in  the  homes  of 
the  poorest  and  most  lowly  as  they  were  in  the  homes  of  the  rich 
and  great.  Like  the  Master  he  served,  he  was  no  respecter  of 
persons.  A  heart  so  great  as  his  could  not  be  limited  in  its  interest 
by  the  circumference  of  his  own  parish.  He  must  reach  out  and 
seek  to  win  any  who  might  be  drawn  to  Christ  for  miles  around. 
Frequently  during  his  ministry  here  he  has  arranged  for  services  to 
be  held  during  the  summer  months,  by  the  pastors  of  the  village,  in 
the  school  houses  lying  out  in  various  directions  from  the  village. 

Well  do  I  remember  that  two  years  ago,  when  such  a  plan, was 
proposed  by  Dr.  Parsons  and  heartily  entered  into  by  the  other 
pastors,  he  said  of  the  work  :  *  We  shall  not  get  any  money  in  pay- 
ment for  our  services.  We  may  not  induce  many  to  come  regularly 
to  our  churches,  but  if  we  can  reach  one  individual  who  has  been 
indifferent  to  divine  things,  and  turn  that  soul  to  God,  we  shall  be 
amply  rewarded  for  our  summer's  work.'  Such  was  his  love  for  men. 

It  is  a  high  privilege  to  be  permitted  to  speak  our  words  of 
appreciation  and  love  to  our  friends  while  they  are  still  with  us.  I 
had  such  a  privilege  about  ten  days  ago,  when  I  was  admitted  to 
Dr.  Parsons'  bedside  and  took  his  hand  and  listened  once  more  to 
his  words.  I  said  to  him,  '  Doctor,  I  want  you  to  know  that  the 
people  of  this  village  appreciate  your  life  and  work  among  them. 

70 


As  I  go  up  and  down  the  streets  almost  every  person  I  meet  stops 
me  and  asks  about  your  condition  and  then  expresses  his  high  regard 
for  you  and  his  hope  that  you  may  be  spared  to  us  yet  many  years.' 
The  tears  came  into  the  Doctor's  eyes,  and  he  rephed,  *  I  am  glad 
to  know  that  I  am  remembered.  I  thank  them  all.  I  should  be 
glad  to  work  a  little  longer  for  them.  I  pray  God  to  bless  them  all.' 
That  prayer,  dear  friends,  was  for  you.  The  Doctor's  voice  is  stilled 
in  death.  In  the  flesh  we  shall  never  again  hear  him  praying  for  us, 
or  speaking  to  us,  but  in  truth  'he  being  dead  yet  speaketh.'  *  * 
The  lofty  ideals  that  he  has  held  up  before  our  eyes  will  still  inspire 
us  to  proper  living.  The  story  of  that  noble  life  we  will  repeat  to 
those  who  come  after  us,  that  they  too  may  reap  some  of  its  fruits." 


Rev.  Peter  Lindsay,  D.  D.,  of  Rochester,  offered  the  closing 
prayer,  after  which  Rev.  F.  G.  Weeks,  of  Gates,  read  "How  firm  a 
foundation,  ye  saints  of  the  Lord,"  a  favorite  hymn  of  Dr.  Parsons, 
which  was  sung  by  the  entire  congregation,  standing,  when  the 
benediction  was  pronounced  by  Rev.  G.  W.  Woods,  D.  D.,  of 
Geneseo. 

To  the  mournful  tolling  of  all  the  village  church  bells  the  funeral 
cortege  mounted  the  hill  to  the  cemetery,  where  Revs.  Edward 
Bristol,  Charles  Coit,  D.D.,  and  Newton  G.  Conklin  conducted  the 
simple  burial  service,  and  the  mortal  remains  were  laid  to  rest 
awaiting  "the  resurrection  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 


71 


Sribut^a  of  Si^Bp^rt. 


[FrofH  the  Democrat  and  Chronicle,  Rochester,  N.  K] 

MT.  MORRIS  was  Dr.  Parsons'  first  and  only  pastorate,  and 
throughout  the  long  years  of  his  ministry  he  has  been 
entrenched  in  the  affectionate  regard  of  all  denominations 
as  no  other  village  pastor  has  ever  been.  His  long  term  of  faithful 
service,  consuming  the  best  years  of  a  true  and  high  manhood,  his 
zeal  as  a  public  spirited  citizen  and  his  deep  love  for  his  fellowmen, 
will  make  the  announcement  of  his  death  a  message  of  profound 
sorrow  throughout  Western  New  York." 


\From  Rochester  Presbytery  Newsi\ 

"Outside  of  his  pastorate,  as  well  as  within,  the  Doctor  wielded 
a  wide  and  beneficent  influence,  and  held  important  positions,  serv- 
ing the  church  at  large.  *  *  He  was  always  careful  to  know  the 
facts  in  any  case,  and  then  was  faithful  to  those  facts.  He  never 
set  out  to  find  facts  to  suit  some  theory  or  prejudice.  What  he 
always  wanted  to  know  was  the  truth,  and  by  this  he  was  ever 
guided.  Hence  he  became  the  strong  character  that  he  was,  and 
hence  his  influence.  We  knew  him  to  believe  in  him,  to  trust,  and 
honor,  and  love  him,  for  he  was  to  us  both  a  father  and  a  brother  in 
a  very  blessed  sense.  We,  therefore,  know  and  realize  why  it  was 
that  his  tenure  in  the  one  pastorate  was  for  life,  and  why  he  had 
such  an  influence  as  the  one  great  leader  in  all  the  community.  It 
was  because  he  was  a  man  of  faith.  He  believed,  and  God's  word 
was  his  rule  of  faith  and  practice.  His  character  rooted  deep  and 
firmly  in  the  "thus  saith  the  Lord." 

[From  the  Auburn  Seminary  Revieiv.'\ 

"His  sound  judgment,  sincere  piety,    unswerving   loyalty  to  the 

n 


interests  of  the  Seminary  gave  him  a  deserved  pre-eminence  in  the 
councils  of  this  institution.  Auburn  was  very  dear  to  his  heart, 
and  he  never  failed  to  serve  her  faithfully  and  well.  He  was  a  true 
minister  of  the  Word,  greatly  beloved  of  his  people  and  honored  of 
his  Lord.  He  was  a  man  of  singular  simplicity  of  motive,  far-sighted 
sagacity,  gentleness  of  spirit,  and  purity  of  life.  His  power  was 
that  of  a  man  who  lived  close  with  God  and  knew  the  mind  of  the 
Master." 


[Ffom  the  Picket  Line  Post,  Mt   Morris.^ 

"He  loved  the  village  of  his  first  pastorate  with  the  love  of  a 
mother  for  her  first-born,  and  his  reward  was  the  affectionate 
regard  of  her  people  through  all  these  years.  In  the  local  parish 
over  which  he  presided  with  such  tact,  ability  and  adroit  adminis- 
trative talents,  he  was  ever  a  dominant  spiritual  force  as  well,  and 
the  influence  of  his  powerful  personality  became  a  radiant  energy 
for  good.  *  *  In  the  fullness  of  his  powers  before  the  twilight  came, 
while  engaged  in  the  work  which  God  gave  him  to  do  in  the  world, 
even  as  a  son  reports  unto  his  father  when  his  labor  is  done,  Levi 
Parsons  has  returned  unto  his  Father's  house.  With  zeal,  with 
humility,  with  courage,  with  love,  he  went  about  his  Fathers'  business, 
steadfast  unto  the  end." 


{J.  M.  Hastings,  Esq.,  in  Mount  Morris  Enterprise!] 

"  It  is  no  small  thing  for  a  man  to  maintain  without  friction,  his 
leadership  of  any  body  of  people  for  so  many  years  ;  and  of  itself, 
it  is  evidence  of  superior  mental  and  spiritual  attainments.  What 
our  community  revered,  and  will  sorrowfully  miss,  was  the  strong 
pure  manhood,  and  the  clear  bright  record  of  practical  Christianity 
that  the  Doctor  exemplified.  We  knew  him  as  men  know  each 
other  after  daily  intercourse  extending  over  long  years.  Years  of 
trial,  sorrow  and  care ;  years  of  joy,  success  and  fruition.  And  in 
all  these  years,  under  all  the  varying  circumstances,  in  joy  or  sorrow, 
in  success  or  disaster,  he  has  been  the  same  ;  calm,  deliberate,  safe. 
His  faith  in  the  eternal  verities  of  God  was  unswerving,  his  confi- 
dence in  the  justice,  wisdom  and  love  of  his  Heavenly  Father  was 
absolute.  Such  a  man  and  such  a  life  must  impress  the  moral, 
social  and  religious  character  of  any  community  fortunate  enough  to 
have  known  them. 

74 


No  man  ever  heard  a  harsh  criticism  from  the  Doctor ;  no  man 
ever  heard  an  unkind  remark  made  by  him ;  no  man  ever  heard  his 
business  integrity  questioned ;  no  man  ever  heard  his  character 
aspersed ;  no  man  ever  heard  aught  of  folly  from  his  lips  ;  no  man 
ever  heard  his  Christian  example  questioned.  These  things  are  true 
and  known  to  all  men. 

Dr.  Parsons'  great  strength  lay  in  his  unquestioning,  complete, 
confidence  in  the  God  he  served.  This  it  was  that  dominated  his 
life ;  this  it  was  that  made  his  life  strong,  constant,  even,  and  that 
gave  men  implicit  confidence  in  his  integrity  and  good  judgment. 

During  all  the  busy  years  of  faithful  work,  no  friend  of  Dr. 
Parsons  ever  had  to  blush  at  his  utterances  or  actions.  A  dignified 
Christian  gentleman  at  all  times,  with  nothing  sombre  about  his 
mind  or  character,  but  sunny,  cheerful,  hopeful,  always  ready  to  see 
the  bright  side  of  life  and  to  show  it  to  others.  With  a  keen  sense 
of  humor  and  a  ready  appreciation  of  innocent  fun,  the  good  Doctor 
in  his  moments  of  relaxation,  was  a  most  enjoyable  companion.  In 
his  pulpit,  his  sermons  were  strong,  full  of  the  rich  imagery  of  a 
large  and  cultivated  intellect,  and  dominated  at  all  times  by  an 
earnest  desire  for  the  welfare  of  humanity.  Time  and  again  his 
delighted  congregation  have  insisted  that  his  sermons  should  reach 
larger  audiences  through  the  public  press.  Such  discourses  as  add 
lustre  to  any  printed  page,  have  frequently  flowed  from  his  ready 
pen.  When  the  minds  of  men  have  been  stirred  by  the  unwonted 
course  of  great  events ;  when  great  doings  were  being  accomplished 
in  this  or  foreign  lands,  no  truer  or  more  judicial  opinion  was 
expressed  than  that  emanating  from  this  great  man. 

Dr.  Parsons  was  not  only  great  in  the  pulpit,  but  outside  ;  his 
strong,  clear  mind,  and  cogent,  logical  reasoning,  compelled  men  to 
see  through  his  eyes  and  think  as  he  thought.  His  conservatism 
made  him  a  safe  counsellor,  and  his  broad  knowledge  of  the  springs 
of  human  action,  enabled  him  to  see  clearly  the  ultimate  results  of 
almost  any  business  proposition.  He  was  an  active  man,  always 
keeping  all  his  varied  interests  in  a  high  state  of  efficacy.  Through 
all  his  activities  ran  as  a  strong,  steady,  compelling  current  the 
thought,  'How  shall  I  best  serve  my  Master.'  In  the  last  analysis 
Dr.  Parsons'  great  strength  lay  in  the  singleness  of  heart  and  mind, 
his  absolute  devotion  to  his  Master's  work.  It  was  this  that  gave  all 
men  absolute  confidence  in  him  at  all  times.  We  knew  with  unerr- 
ing certainty  that  his  stand  was  always  on  the  side  of  righteousness 
and  high  spirituality." 

75 


[Mrs.  Mary  Joslyn  Smith  in  the  Entcrprise.'\ 

"  Mount  Morris  must  seem  strange  indeed  without  Dr.  Parsons. 
Long  and  tenderly  he  watched  his  village  flock.  '  They  were  dearly 
beloved  and  longed  for '  and  a  great  multitude  are  his  joy  and  crown. 

I  am  pleased  to  quote  from  a  letter  of  his  own  writing,  concern- 
ing the  life  and  death  of  my  beloved  father  and  mother,  (Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Joslyn,)  he  spoke  of  missing  them,  then  wrote:  'But  it  is 
precious  to  think  that  these  friendships  abide,  even  though  the 
bodies  pass  away  and  that  death  is  so  powerless  to  destroy  these 
treasures  which  are  laid  up  in  Christ.' 

So  the  memory  of  Dr.  Parsons  is  precious  to  those  who  have 
known  Mount  Morris.  *  *  *  It  is  almost  impossible  to  analyze  the 
life  of  a  friend,  but  some  of  the  reasons  for  the  successful  life  of  Dr. 
Parsons  must  be  plain. 

First  of  all  he  was  an  earnest  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  His 
sincerity  and  honesty  were  marked.  While  he  was  decided  in  hold- 
ing the  tenets  of  his  own  chosen  church,  I  am  pleased  to  again 
quote  from  his  letter :  '  I  have  earnestly  tried  to  cultivate  friendly 
relations  with  the  other  churches,  believing  that  the  points  of  agree- 
ment are  far  more  in  number  than  those  of  disagreement.' 

Other  calls  came  and  alluring  fields  opened  for  his  guidance  in 
the  tillage,  but  to  him  Mt.  Morris  was  that  part  of  the  garden  of  the 
Lord  in  which  he  believed  he  was  placed  once  for  all,  and  nothing 
moved  him,  nor  allured  him  from  this  plain  path  of  duty. 

His  financial  ability  in  helping  tide  over  hard  places  in  the  earlier 
history  of  his  ministry,  led  many  to  realize  what  a  successful  business 
man  he  might  have  been,  had  he  chosen  to  use  his  gifts  in  those 
directions.  He  was  full  of  tact  too,  and  while  he  never  swerved 
from  the  right,  he  was  careful  to  put  no  rock  of  offence  in  the  way 
of  any.  So  there  was  in  him  the  making  of  a  politician,  but  he  culti- 
vated none  of  these  gifts  except  as  helps  to  his  ministry.  With  him 
it  was  always  'this  one  thing  I  do.'  There  has  been  no  good  thing 
that  pertained  in  any  way  to  Mt.  Morris  in  all  the  years,  that  has 
not  had  the  uplift  of  his  influence. 

Now  at  the  close  of  his  helpful  and  beautiful  life,  are  not  all 
ready  to  say  that  he  was  wise  in  the  use  of  his  life }  By  enriching 
the  lives  of  those  that  came  under  his  influence  for  forty-five  years, 
what  a  crown  of  rejoicing  must  await  him. 

Silver  and  gold  are  but  dross  when  put  in  the  balance  against 
such  a  self-denying  life.  And  another  of  the  beautiful  things  of  that 
life   was,  that   he   never   showed  by  word  or  deed  that  he  had  ever 

76 


made  any  sacrifice,  and  never  did  he  seem  to  feel  that  he  deserved 
any  word  of  commendation. 

When  he  and  Mr.  Rockfellow  had  finished  their  labor  of  love  in 
preparing  the  'History  of  Mount  Morris,'  after  the  century  celebra- 
tion, he  said,  '  I  am  very  happy  in  the  good  feeling  which  the  cele- 
bration has  produced,  and  if  the  book  shall  serve  to  perpetuate  it, 
that  will  be  better  than  money.' 

His  interest  in  the  schools,  different  phases  of  his  life,  come 
vividly  before  me,  but  after  all  few  words  express  it.  He  was  Christ- 
like, and  the  beneficence  of  such  a  life  will  remain  with  the  people 
for  long  years  to  come.  " 

[Prom  Report  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  New  England  for  igoi.] 

"  The  death  list  of  the  Synod  for  the  past  year  is  exceptional  for 
its  length  and  for  the  distinction  of  its  members.  The  contempla- 
tion of  it  stirs  the  heart  with  profound  sorrow  because  of  our 
bereavement,  while  at  the  same  time  we  are  reminded  of  the  way  in 
which  God  has  honored  and  enriched  our  church  in  the  gift  of  such 
men  and  of  such  service.  Tried  veterans  like  Ezra  A.  Huntington, 
George  W.  Wood,  John  C.  Lowrie,  L.  Merrill  Miller,  Levi  Parsons, 
James  Gardner,  J.  Jermain  Porter  remind  us  of  spotless  characters 
and  lifelong  as  well  as  distinguished  service." 

At  its  regular  Fall  meeting  held  at  Avon,  N.  Y.,  on  September 
24th,  1 90 1,  the  Presbytery  of  Rochester  adopted  a  memorial  on  the 
death  of  Rev.  Dr.  Levi  Parsons,  from  which  the  closing  paragraphs 
are  taken : 

"  Dr.  Parsons  was  a  devoted  pastor,  an  instructive  preacher  and 
an  invaluable  presbyter.  We  have  loved  him  and  honored  him 
greatly.  His  wealth  of  information,  his  practical  wisdom  and  fine 
judicial  sense  coupled  with  a  supreme  modesty,  for  real  greatness  is 
always  modest,  have  made  him  a  boon  and  a  joy  to  our  Presbytery. 
For  thirty-one  years,  its  entire  life,  he  has  been  its  stated  clerk.  He 
has  served  the  church  in  many  directions  and  in  the  able  discharge 
of  many  trusts.  Repeatedly  he  has  gone  as  commissioner  to  the 
General  Assembly,  just  as  often  as  the  Presbytery  could  induce  him 
to  go. 

He  was  pre-eminently  a  man  of  God.  He  lived  in  God,  he 
walked  with  God,  he  is  not  with  us  now  because  God  has  taken  him. 
And  he  was  also  eminently  a  man  of  men.  The  human  instincts 
and  sympathies  in  him  were  universal.     To  the  end  he  was  keenly 

77 


alive  to  every  question  and  interest  and  movement  and  problem  of 
the  day.  By  the  testimony  of  his  people  no  sermons  he  ever 
preached  were  more  vigorous  and  timely,  and  spiritually  inspiring 
and  helpful  than  were  his  very  last.  He  is  a  beautiful  example  to  us 
all  that  we  should  walk  in  his  steps. " 

[Memo?-ial  of  Presbyterian  Ministers^  Association.^ 

"The  Presbyterian  Ministers'  Association  of  Rochester  and 
Vicinity  would  hereby  put  on  record  the  deep  sense  of  sorrow  and 
personal  loss  felt  by  its  members  on  account  of  the  death  of  our 
honored  and  greatly  loved  brother,  Rev.  Levi  Parsons,  D.  D.  We 
desire  also  to  extend  to  the  people  of  Mt.  Morris,  to  his  church  and 
congregation,  and  especially  to  Mrs.  Parsons  and  all  the  members  of 
his  esteemed  family,  our  sincerest  sympathy  with  them  in  their 
bereavement. 

On  the  records  of  his  church,  of  the  presbytery  of  which  he  was 
a  member,  of  the  theological  seminary  of  which  he  was  a  chief 
officer,  and  of  other  bodies,  we  know  that  fuller  statements  regard- 
ing his  life  and  labors  will  be  placed ;  but  here,  in  the  Minister's 
Meeting,  it  was  our  privilege  to  meet  him  from  time  to  time  in  a 
more  especially  social  relation,  and  we  wish  to  testify  to  the  joy  it 
always  brought  us  to  have  the  honor  of  his  presence  and  the  advan- 
tage of  his  always  cheering  and  helpful  converse.  His  was  a  strong, 
harmonious,  stable  character.  It  did  us  all  good  to  know  him.  We 
rejoiced  in  his  cheerful,  hopeful  heart,  his  pure  spirit,  his  profound 
wisdom  and  in  his  abiding  and  ever  glad-hearted  faith  in  God. 

We  esteem  it  an  especially  noteworthy  tribute  to  the  love  and 
respect  in  which  Dr.  Parsons  was  held  that  at  the  time  of  his  funeral 
all  the  places  of  business  in  his  village,  including  even  the  saloons, 
were  closed.  The  auditorium  of  his  church  was  crowded  with  rep- 
resentatives from  all  classes  of  the  community.  At  least  fifty  clerg)^- 
men  were  present  to  do  honor  to  the  beloved  minister,  not  alone 
fellow  members  of  his  presbytery,  but  pastors  and  rectors  and 
priests  from  surrounding  churches  of  other  ecclesiastical  names. 
Forgetting  for  the  time  every  separating  fact  these  all  joined  in  the 
one  witness  that  a  pure  and  noble  life  had  ended  and  that  a  true 
friend  of  all  mankind  had  passed  away.  G.  B.  F.  Hallock, 

n.  j.  conklin, 
Edward  Bristol, 
J.  P.  Sankev, 
Henry  H.  Stebbins, 

Rochester,  N.  Y.,  June  17th,  1901."  Committee. 

78 


At  a  meeting  of  the  officers  of  the  First  Presbyterian  church  of 
Mount  Morris,  held  June  3rd,  1901,  appropriate  resolutions  on  the 
death  of  the  pastor  were  adopted.  These  were  placed  upon  the 
church  records  and  a  copy  of  the  same  sent  to  the  pastor's  family. 

[Sabbath  School  History  0/ Mount  Morris  Presbyterian  Church/or  ipo/.} 

"  1901  will  go  down  in  the  annals  of  our  Sabbath  School  history 
as  a  black  letter  year,  for  it  marks  the  death  of  Dr.  Parsons,  our 
dearly  beloved  pastor  for  forty-five  years.  All  the  events  of  the 
year  have  been  overshadowed  and  saddened  by  this  one  great 
sorrow.  How  unreal  it  seems  not  to  see  his  commanding  presence 
in  our  pulpit  or  before  the  Bible  class,  which  for  so  long  he  taught ! 
His  sermons  were  during  the  last  months  of  his  preaching,  sublime. 
Indeed  he  was  inspired  to  utter  words  that  are  indelibly  fixed  in  our 
memories.  *  *  How  faithfully  did  he  minister  to  his  flock! 
What  a  friend  he  was  to  the  poor  and  afflicted  of  all  faiths  and  con- 
ditions !  How  genial  in  intercourse!  How  kindly  in  judgment! 
How  true  to  his  principles !  And  that  last  Communion  Sunday, 
how  pathetically  tender  was  his  heart  to  heart  talk  to  his  people ! 
Through  it  all  we  had  a  presentiment  of  impending  sorrow,  but  what 
blank  despair  took  possession  of  us  the  first  Sunday  our  pastor  was 
unable  to  leave  his  bed,  and  we  realized  the  end  was  near!  During 
the  weary  weeks  of  sickness  following,  the  whole  community  were 
watchers  with  us,  being  gladdened  by  any  change  for  the  better  or 
depressed  by  unfavorable  news  from  the  sick  room.  At  last,  on 
Decoration  Day,  the  spirit  of  this  valiant  soldier  of  the  cross  left  its 
worn  temple  of  clay,  and  returned  Home.  *  *  And  so  he  rests 
from  his  earthly  labors,  but  his  work  ends  not  here,  for  so  long  as 
love  and  memory  endure,  so  long  shall  the  influence  of  Dr.  Parsons' 
life  remain  with  us." 

Frederick  H.  McNair,  Historian. 


The  following  are   extracts   from   some   of   the  many  letters  of 
condolence  sent  to  Dr.  Parsons'  family : 

[Frotn  Rev.  Byron  Bosworth,  Rochester,  N.  K.] 

*     *     "  Your  dear  husband's  death  came  very  near  to  me  as  we 
were  classmates  in  college  and  also  in  Auburn.     *     *     His  consci- 

79 


entious,  devoted,  Godly  life  and  work  glow  all  along  his  path-way 
with  the  abundant  faithfulness  and  fruitfulness  of  an  eminently 
successful  life  for  the  Master.  We  shall  greatly  miss  him  ever}^- 
where." 

{From  Rev.  F.  F.  Ellemvood,  D.  D.,  Secretary  of  Presbyterian   Board  of  Foreign 
Missions,  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  ] 

"I  was  grieved  to  learn  of  the  death  of  my  highly  esteemed  friend 
and  college  mate,  Rev.  Dr.  Levi  Parsons.  *  *  Dr.  Parsons  was 
one  of  the  most  genuine  men  that  I  have  ever  known.  Free  from 
personal  conceit  and  inordinate  ambition,  he  stood  for  his  convictions 
and  his  sense  of  duty.  *  *  Dr.  Parsons  had  won  a  high  place  in 
the  esteem  of  the  Presbyterian  church." 

[From  President  Stryker  of  Hamilton  College.'\ 

"It  is  with  pain  that  we  learn  by  your  kind  note  of  the  death  of 
Dr.  Parsons  of  our  class  of  '49.  A  noble  man,  beloved  and  full  of 
ripe  fruitage,  has  gone  to  his  rest.  All  who  shared  in  the  influence 
of  his  faithful  life  are  poorer  now.  I  can  imagine  how  great  the  loss 
is  to  his  community  and  church." 

[From  Hon.  Charles  Dwight,    Vice-President  Board  of  Trustees,    Aiibtirn    Theo 

logical  Seminaiy.] 

"His  death  is  a  serious  bereavement  to  the  Seminary,  and  to  us 
of  the  trustees,  who  have  been  associated  with  him  for  many  years, 
there  is  a  sense  of  present  loss.  We  revered  the  character  and  shall 
cherish  the  memory  of  Dr.  Parsons.  " 

[From  Henry  A.  Morgan,  Esq.,  Aurora,  N.  K.] 

"During  his  long  association  as  trustee  of  the  Theological  Semi- 
nary at  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  and  a  chairman  of  its  board,  he  was  ever 
looked  up  to  for  his  conservatism,  clearness  of  judgment  and  lovable 
character." 

[From  Rev.  Charles  P.  Coil,  D.  D.,  Rochester.^ 

*  *  "Words  cannot  express  the  personal  loss  we  all  feel ;  and 
then  the  loss  to  the  Mount  Morris  church,  the  Presbytery  of  Roch- 
ester, the  Auburn  Seminary,  yes,  and  I  may  say  the  Synod  and 
General  Assembly,  is  such  as  seldom  comes.  Measured  at  every 
point  of  character  and  influence  he  was  a  great  man." 

80 


[From  Rev.  Theo.  IV.  Hopkins,  Rochester,  N.  K] 

"My  own  sense  of  the  loss  which  our  Presbytery  has  sustained 
is  so  great  that  it  almost  seems  as  though  the  very  judicatory  had 
passed  away  with  him.  To  me  Dr.  Parsons  seemed  its  very  imper- 
sonation." 

[From  Rev.  H.  P.   V.  Bogue,  D.  D.,  Alliance,  Nebraska.'^ 

"  He  has  finished  a  worthy  and  honorable  course,  and  fallen 
asleep  with  the  love  and  respect  of  the  community  and  all  who  knew 
him.  As  far  as  earthly  conditions  are  concerned  one  could  ask  no 
more." 

[From  Rez>.  George  P.  Folsoni,  D.  D.,  Monnl  Clemens,  Mich.'\ 

*  *  "  How  much  I  loved  and  enjoyed  him.  The  dear  old 
Genesee  Valley  will  not  seem  the  same  without  him.  I  always  feel 
thankful  that  a  kind  Providence  led  us  to  Geneseo,  and  among  the 
sweetest  memories  of  my  ten  years  pastorate  there  are  the  social 
and  spiritual  interchanges  with  him." 


[From  Rev.  Samuel  Jessup,  D.  D.,  Oneida.  N.  V.] 

"There  is  no  word  that  so  well  expresses  my  impressions  and 
recollections  of  him  as  the  word  good.  It  always  did  me  good  to 
have  him  look  at  me  and  speak  to  me,  there  was  such  a  friendly  look 
and  tone  about  him.  So  thoroughly  genuine  and  strong  was  he  that 
I  always  looked  up  to  him  and  revered  him,  while  he  drew  me  with 
a  peculiar  attraction  of  trust  and  friendship.  Perhaps  you  will 
remember  tliat  I  was  associated  with  him  in  the  old  Presbytery  of 
Ontario  with  Pasre  and  P"olsom." 


[Ffom   Rev.    If.   H.   Roberts,    D    D.,   Stated   Clerk  of  General   Assembly  of  the 

Presbyteria  n   Ch  ii  rch .  ] 

"Your  letter  informing  me  of  the  death  of  my  dear  friend,  Dr. 
Levi  Parsons,  of  Mount  Morris,  N.  Y.,  has  been  received.  It  gives 
me  deep  sorrow  to  receive  this  news.  The  sadness  of  such  an  event 
is,  however,  alleviated  by  the  thought  of  the  useful,  prolonged  and 
distinguished  services  rendered  by  Dr.  Parsons  throughout  his  life 
to  the  Presbyterian  church  and  to  the  church  of  Christ  in  general." 

81 


Brick  Presbyterian  Church,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 
The  Hfe  of  a  personaHty  hke  his  is  a  real  divine  influence  in  a 
community,    and  one   of   God's  best  gifts  to  any  people.     For  sub- 
stantial worth  of  character  he  stood  eminent  in  this  whole  region. 

W.  R.  Taylor. 


Presbyterian  Parsonage,  Lancaster,  N.  Y. 
My  dear  Mrs.  Parsons — 

*  *  I  do  not  fail  to  remember  how  poor  to  you  must  seem  all 
words  of  even  the  best  and  most  esteemed  of  your  friends  in  the 
midst  of  such  bereavement  as  you  have  suffered.  Still  it  is  some- 
thing to  know  that  others  are  bearing  part  of  the  burden  under 
which  we  groan.  =*  *  I  am  a  mourner  with  you.  The  death  of 
your  noble  husband  was  a  sad  surprise  and  an  affliction  to  me.  I 
loved  the  man,  and  there  are  none  who  stood  higher  in  my  esteem 
for  those  admirable  qualities  of  sincerity,  fairness,  charity,  sound 
judgment,  high  purpose,  and  unswerving  righteousness  and  devotion 
to  our  common  Master  than  Doctor  Levi  Parsons. 

William  Waith. 


[From  Henry  IV.  Miller  of  the  Bnptist  Church,  Mojint  Moj-ris,  N.  Y.] 

"  Your  family,  the  church  and  the  community  are  under  the 
shadow  of  no  ordinary  loss.  Personally  Dr.  Parsons  was  one  of  my 
most  cherished  friends.  We  who  remain  return  thanks  to  our  lov- 
ing Heavenly  Father  for  his  Christ-like  example  among  us  for  so 
many  years.  We  thank  God  he  is  at  'rest  from  his  labors  and  his 
works  do  follow  him.'  " 


St.  Patrick's  Church, 
Mount  Morris. 
Dear  Mrs.  Parsons — 

This  note  is  to  tell  you  that  my  sister  and  I  heartily  sympathize 
with  you  and  your  family  in  your  great  bereavement.  Your  husband 
was  one  of  Nature's  noblemen — broad-minded,  charitable  and  sin- 
cere. Of  him  many  friends  are  saying  and  many  more  feel  that  "We 
shall  not  look  upon  his  like  again." 

James  H.  Day. 

82 


As  one  of  Dr.  Parsons'  boys  I  want  to  tell  you  that  I  am  mourn- 
ing with  you  that  we  shall  see  his  face  no  more  this  side  the  river. 
Not  mourning  for  him  but  for  ourselves;  for  he  has  been  translated 
to  a  higher  and  a  greater  and  holier  service.  The  sorrow  is  ours 
because  of  the  separation.  *  *  As  I  have  from  time  to  time 
thought  of  visiting  the  old  home  the  very  pleasing  thought  has  come, 
I  shall  see  Dr.  Parsons.  What  a  benediction  his  greeting  always 
was  ;  all  the  world  seemed  brighter  after  it.     *     * 

Henry  D.  Ames. 
East  Oakland,  Cal. 


Marcellus,  Dec.  loth,  1902. 
Dear  Sister — 

My  visit  with  you  made  quite  an  impression  on  me.  It  was 
pleasant,  it  was  sad.  I  never  realized  so  fully  that  brother  had  left 
us  permanently  as  at  this  time.  Sickness,  death  and  the  necessary 
flurry  connected  with  funeral  arrangements,  somewhat  befog  us  in 
regard  to  the  realization  of  the  occasion.  But  now  the  master  of 
the  house  was  not  to  be  seen.  An  occasional  sound  would  (without 
thought)  imply  his  presence  here  and  there,  because  in  all  of  my 
previous  visits  he  was  out  and  in.  The  house  with  all  its  arrange- 
ments, the  garden  with  its  terraces,  told  of  his  handiwork,  and  the 
hilltop  where  so  many  times  we  mounted,  to  look  over  the  plain,  and 
the  hills  with  their  several  villages  ;  but  now  his  presence  ceases  any 
longer  to  gi\-e  enlivenment  to  the  scene.  Even  the  waiting  at  the 
depot  was  without  his  cheerful  face  and  social  ways,  and  the  always 
good-bye  shake  of  the  hand  failed  to  give  the  amen  to  the  visit. 
Sabbath  day  at  the  church  I  missed  him,  and  also  at  the  Sunday 
school.  The  walk  to  the  cemetery,  bordered  a  portion  of  the  way 
by  his  plot  of  land,  brought  him  vividly  to  mind,  and  at  last,  further 
on,  in  the  midst  of  his  dear  old  flock,  we  found  him  lying  in  sweet 
repose,  and  wonderful  to  tell,  among  his  immediate  surroundings 
such  a  troop  of  Gospel  Messengers. 

Brother,  thy  work  is  done,  well  done.  What  a  glorious  morning 
the  resurrection  morning  will  be,  when  all  of  God's  chosen  ones 
shall  come  forth  from  those  graves  in  the  image  and  beauty  of  their 
Savior  and  they  shall  see  the  King  in  his  beauty. 

Yours  truly, 

I.  Parsons. 

«3 


A  CiiltmpB^  0f  tl|^  I|0m0  IdxU. 


AFTER  all,  the  story  of  no  man  is  complete  that  fails  to  picture 
his  home  life.     If  this  is  pure  and  strong  and  sweet,  it  gives 
an  added  flavor  to  that  which  may  be  considered  external  or 
public. 

Brought  up  in  a  minister's  home  of  the  old  New  England  type, 
Dr.  Parsons  had  the  highest  ideals  regarding  the  importance  of  the 
family  life,  as  well  as  a  strong  love  for  his  home.  His  boyhood's 
home  had  been  one  where  the  rare  principle  of  "high  thinking  and 
plain  living"  was  put  into  daily  practice,  where  the  greatest  rever- 
ence for  all  that  was  good  and  great  and  pure  was  inculcated,  and  a 
profound  respect  for  true  wisdom  and  learning.  A  thrifty,  busy, 
hospitable  home  it  was.  How  the  hearts  of  its  children  were  bound 
to  it.  How  they  clung  to  the  memory  of  its  ancient  wood,  its 
sparkling  brooks,  its  sunny  meadows,  and  the  hills  that  stand  when 
those  who  loved  them  have  passed  away  forever.  How  they  loved 
to  gather  about  the  glowing  fireplace  for  long,  long  talks,  and,  as 
their  number  gradually  diminished,  how  that  bond  of  love  waxed 
stronger,  aye,  ever  stronger  that  held  those  hearts  to  each  other  and 
the  sad,  sweet  memories  of  the  past.  Going  forth  from  such  a 
home,  little  wonder  was  it  that  each  sought  to  found  a  home  that 
should  in  some  fashion  reproduce  the  one  they  loved  so  well. 

It  was  in  the  second  year  of  his  life  in  Mount  Morris  that  Dr. 
Parsons  purchased  the  house  that  was  to  be  his  home  during  an 
unusually  long  pastorate.  Such  a  purchase  would  be  considered 
peculiar  if  not  rash  in  these  days,  for  at  the  time  the  minister's 
salary  was  but  eight  hundred  dollars.     However,  he  was  economical, 

85 


thrifty,  ingenious,  fond  of  planning  ways  and  means,  and  this  trait 
which  so  often  shone  in  the  trustee  meetings  of  later  years  was  put 
to  immediate  use.  The  house  was  remodeled,  and  afterwards 
was  frequently  altered  until  at  last  it  became  a  family  joke  that 
"  every  seven  years  instead  of  changing  pastorates,  Father  contented 
himself  with  changing  the  house,"  adding  awing,  altering  the  piazza, 
or  making  the  interior  more  convenient. 

The  result  pleased  him.  His  home  was  to  him  a  delightful  place. 
"The  home-coming  is  the  best  part  of  the  journey,"  he  would  fre- 
quently say.  His  own  sunny  sitting-room  was  the  pleasantest 
room  he  found.  His  home  was  "his  castle"  in  which  he  could  find 
a  happy  retreat  from  the  besieging  cares  of  life.  He  loved  the 
seclusion  of  it ;  he  loved  the  comfort  of  it.  He  loved  in  winter  to 
see  the  fire  glow,  for  brought  up  in  a  home  where  wood  fires 
rollicked  and  roared  up  capacious  chimneys  he  would  never  consent 
to  do  away  with  all  sign  of  fire, — an  iron  grating  in  the  floor  was  no 
equivalent. 

The  grounds  about  the  home  were  to  him  a  most  important  part 
of  it,  and  he  spent  much  time  in  their  improvement.  In  summer  he 
took  the  greatest  satisfaction  in  the  fruits  that  grew  on  the  trees  of 
his  own  planting,  the  grapes  from  his  own  carefully  trimmed  vines, 
and  the  early  peas  and  lettuce  of  his  own  garden.  Alas  !  with  what 
hope  did  he  plan  out  this  garden  each  spring  and  plant  the  early 
seed,  leaving  towards  nightfall  his  study  with  its  accumulations  of 
presbyterial  work  for  this  communion  with  nature ;  and  then  with 
what  regret  did  he  see  the  advantage  gained  by  the  weeds  during 
his  series  of  absences  at  presbytery,  at  the  Auburn  commencement, 
and  possibly  the  General  Assembly.  The  weeds  might  gain  an 
advantage,  but  he  never  yielded  them  the  victory,  stoutly  persisting 
in  the  unequal  contest ;  for  the  reward  was,  after  all,  great,— work 
where  music  of  birds  and  apple-scented  air  and  even  the  bursting 
clods  of  earth  all  spoke  of  life  and  growth,  the  reaching  out  towards 
that  which  is  above  and  beyond. 

He  loved  this  work  in  the  open  air,  he  loved  country  life  and 


scenes  ;  and  it  was  with  no  feigned  interest  that  in  his  pastoral  calls 
he  talked  of  the  crops  or  various  farm  improvements.  As  he  had 
come  to  the  door,  he  had  remarked  the  condition  of  field  and  orchard, 
had  noted  with  pleasure  the  probability  of  a  plenteous  harvest,  or 
was  ready  with  sympathy  for  the  unfortunate.  Of  all  classes  of 
men,  none  to  him  were  to  be  more  envied  than  the  farmer,  "who 
might  live  like  a  king  on  the  best  of  the  land  "  he  would  say. 

Doctor  Parsons  was  himself  a  man  of  simple  tastes  and  habits,  a 
firm  believer  in  the  value  of  early  hours  and  abstemious  living.  He 
had  inherited  from  some  Puritan  forbear  a  taste  for  economy,  an 
aptitude  for  thrift,  or  was  it  the  result  of  his  early  training.?  But  in 
him  this  saving  was  merely  that,  as  Emerson  puts  it,  he  might  "spend 
on  a  higher  plane."  A  cent  was  never  a  small  thing  to  him  when 
spent  for  a  non-essential,  a  dollar  never  too  large  for  a  real  comfort 
or  necessity,  especially  for  others,  for  his  economy  was  strictest  in 
regard  to  himself.  Towards  others  he  was  generous,  while  in 
expenditures  for  the  church  and  for  missions  he  was  a  worthy  exam- 
ple. His  thrifty  management  of  a  small  salary  was  sometimes  com- 
mented upon.  "God  must  send  his  ravens  to  help  the  Doctor," 
said  one  parishioner,  but  the  ravens  were  prudence  and  economy, 
with  the  added  blessing  promised  to  those  who  honor  the  Lord  with 
their  substance. 

It  was  always  his  delight  to  welcome  guests  to  his  home.  Many 
a  gathering  has  the  church  had  under  his  roof.  Indeed  it  is  to  be 
questioned  whether,  during  his  pastorate,  anyone  in  Mount  Morris 
has  entertained  a  larger  number  of  people.  He  was  a  sociable  man, 
always  interested  in  the  little  festivities  of  home  or  church  life ;  one 
who  enjoyed  "a  good  talk"  to  which  he  contributed  not  a  little  of 
wit  as  well  as  wisdom,  for  he  possessed  the  art  of  telling  a  good 
story  and  had  a  fund  of  humor  which  was  not  infrequently  a  surprise 
to  those  who  saw  but  the  clerical  side  of  his  life.  He  was  one  who 
enjoyed  to  its  utmost  contact  with  the  sympathetic,  the  cultured  and 
bright,  those  to  whom  he  might  reveal  his  deeper  thoughts  and 
experiences  with  surety  of  appreciation  and  responsiveness. 

87 


I  do  not  need  to  speak  of  his  courtesy, — that  was  never  faihng,  in 
private  or  in  public.  During  his  last  illness  when  he  spoke  but  little, 
there  was  always  a  "thank  you"  for  any  little  assistance  given  him. 
He  had  always  been  appreciative  whether  the  matter  in  question  was 
an  "A  No.  i  dinner,"  which  caused  him  regretfully  to  wonder 
whether  "Queen  Victoria  had  such  good  fare,"  or  was  some  achieve- 
ment of  public  importance.  He  was  a  firm  believer  in  the  duty  and 
value  of  commendation,  even  preaching  a  sermon  upon  this  subject. 
One  peculiarity  was  his  desire  for  counsel.  "  In  the  multitude  of 
counsellors  there  is  safety,"  was  a  proverb  frequently  quoted  by  him. 
Not  only  in  matters  of  ecclesiastical  importance  but  in  those  per- 
taining to  the  home  as  well,  not  only  when  great  interests  were  at 
stake  but  even  in  the  little  things  of  life,  not  only  of  the  wise  ones 
of  the  church  but  even  of  his  children,  would  he  seek  counsel.  How 
often  were  they  gathered  in  the  study  that  he  might  gain  the  united 
judgment  of  the  family  regarding  some  important  letter, — and  how 
often  did  they  feel  that  he  would  have  depended  on  broken  reeds 
had  their  judgment  been  all.  In  connection  with  this  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  refer  to  a  little  joke  at  his  own  expnse  in  regard  to  the 
purchase  of  a  horse.  The  seller  being  asked  whether  Dr.  Parsons 
had  decided  to  take  the  horse,  replied,  "  No,  not  yet,  I  believe  there 
is  still  one  deacon  to  consult." 

But  if  he  were  ready  to  ask  advice,  how  ready,  too,  he  was  to 
bestow  it,  how  willing  to  turn  from  his  work,  though  it  was  a  sermon, 
to  listen  to  troubles  or  plans,  and  give  the  best  of  his  wisdom. 
There  was  ever  a  welcome  to  that  study ;  no  "blue  Mondays"  there, 
only  a  "  royal  welcome,"  a  ready  sympathy,  the  delightful  assurance 
that  there  was  plenty  of  time  for  a  little  talk  and  that  it  was  a 
pleasure  and  a  satisfaction  to  him. 

His  pleasure  in  his  home  and  family  seemed  to  increase  with 
years.  The  home-coming  of  the  children  was  always  a  joy  to  him, 
their  departure  a  trial.  Who  can  forget  his  fervent  "may  the  Lord 
bless  you,"  as  he  bade  farewell,  or  the  letter  that  followed  the 
wanderer   telling   how   he  "  walked   home    from  the  station  with   a 


heavy  heart."  How  faithfully  he  followed  the  traveler  in  imagin- 
ation through  the  hours  of  the  journey,  how  eagerly  he  welcomed 
each  letter  from  the  absent  loved  ones,  how  impatiently  he  gathered 
the  family  so  that  all  might  enjoy  it  together. 

He  was  at  his  best  in  the  home ;  he  gave  of  his  best.  It  was  his 
custom  to  bring  the  results  of  his  reading  to  the  table,  and  if  wife 
or  children  followed  the  apostolic  injunction  to  ask  for  information 
at  home,  they  were  quite  sure  to  receive  an  abundant  store.  He 
read  but  little  fiction,  and  that  little  critically ;  but  his  interest 
in  the  events  of  the  day  was  ever  fresh. 

The  description  of  the  home  life  would  scarcely  be  complete 
without  some  reference  to  its  music,  which  is  considered  by  a  sweet 
Southern  poet  as  the  one  essential  of  a  true  home. 

In  the  old  Marcellus  home  there  had  been  an  enthusiastic  love 
for  music,  especially  singing.  People  sang  in  those  days,  sang  for 
hours  at  a  stretch  when  the  inspiration  was  on,  and  the  musical  influ- 
ence of  his  youth  remained  throughout  his  life.  After  a  Thanks- 
giving dinner,  when  most  people  would  be  ready  for  a  siesta,  he 
generally  called  for  "a  little  music,"  which  comprised  the  old  hymns, 
although  in  his  earlier  days  he  enjoyed  the  secular  songs  and  ballads 
of  the  times.  It  was  the  delight  of  his  children  to  hear  his  enthusi- 
astic rendering  of  "  Van's  a  used  up  man,"  "Trancadillo,,"  and 
"Tramp,  the  boys  come  marching,"  enriched  by  his  fine  voice.  But 
he  loved  the  old  hymns  best,  and  among  those  best  loved  and  often 
sung  as  the  Sabbath  twilight  deepened,  were  "  Softly  now  the  light 
of  day,"  "Safely  through  another  week,"  "Guide  me,  O  Thou  Great 
Jehovah,"  and  "Jerusalem,  my  happy  home."  He  never  seemed  to 
weary  of  singing,  and  it  is  beautiful  to  think  that  his  eternal  home 
is  filled  with  sweetest  melody  and  praise. 

During  the  last  years  of  his  life,  his  growth  in  spirituality  became 
more  and  more  apparent.  The  outward  man  might  perish  but  the 
inward  man  was  indeed  renewed  day  by  day.  There  was  a  precepti- 
ble  strengthening  and  ripening  of  all  Christian  graces  and  virtues. 
To  his  faith  was  added  meekness  and  humility,  an  increasing  love 

89 


toward  all  that  was  good  and  pure,  a  growing  tenderness  for  the 
faults  and  frailites  of  human  nature,  a  personal  interest  in  even  the 
little  things  that  might  make  or  mar  another's  happiness,  the 
gracious  spirit  of  sympathy  and  helpfulness  that  so  surely  wins  the 
love  and  honor  of  all ;  until  at  last  when  he  passed  from  this  earthly 
home  to  the  home  all-glorious,  not  only  his  own  children,  but  many 
"another  daughter,"  and  those  who  called  themselves  "the 
Doctor's  boys,"  now  mourn  a  father's  loss.  To  them  as  to  all  comes 
this  message  from  the  distant  West :  "  You  and  all  of  us  have  a 
most  precious  memory  of  a  noble,  honored,  saintly  life ;  and  the 
more  we  dwell  upon  it  the  sweeter  and  holier  and  more  useful  will 
our  lives  be." 


90 


^If^plfrriibss. 


In  Memory  of  Rev.  Levi  Parsons,  D.  D. 


[Published  by  pertnission  of  New  York  Evangelist.'\ 

A  SABBATH  DAY  of  perfect  rest  and  peace, 
Of  deep,  abounding  joy,  alas,  how  rare  ! 
There  may  come  days  when  in  the  praise  of  God 
All  nature  joins,  and  sounds  discordant,  toil 
And  Strife  are  hushed,  and  earth,  resplendent  earth, 
Radiant  with  beauty,  all  aglow  with  light 
And  love  and  joy,  seems  very  part  of  Heaven. 
And  yet,  methinks,  the  bluest  skies  may  tinge 
Of  sadness  wear,  the  sweetest  earthly  song 
May  leave  some  mournful  thought,  and  ev'n  in  June 
When,  if  at  all,  should  come  the  perfect  day, 
The  passing  breeze  may  whisper  soft  of  death. 
Such  Sabbath  day  was  this. 

At  earliest  dawn 
The  little  birds  their  happy  matins  sang. 
And  as  the  sun  climbed  up  the  golden  stair 
To  azure  heights,  louder  the  chorus  swelled. 
The  insect  world,  a  busy  throng,  beat  low 
And  soft  their  monotone  as  basal  note, 
Above  which  soared  exultant,  carols  glad 
Of  robins  and  melodious  orioles  ; 
Tuneful  and  sweet  the  air,  and  full  of  peace. 

But  not  until  the  sun  has  nearly  reached 

Its  height,  comes  there  to  man,  neglectful  man, 

The  call  to  join  in  worship  of  the  King. 

Then  slow  the  church  bell  tolls  its  solemn  tone, 

And  at  the  summons  to  the  house  of  God 

The  village  people  wend  their  way.     Some  pass 

With  gladsome  heart,  rejoicing  in  the  day 

The  Lord  hath  made,  a  Sabbath  day  in  June. 


91 


But  others  walk  with  sad  and  downcast  face, 
And  half  reluctant  mount  the  steps    that  lead 
Up  to  the  Holy  Place. 

Ah,  can  it  be 
That  God's  least  creatures  give  him  joyful  praise 
And  we,  the  favored  ones,  our  worship  grudge  ? 
But  hark  !  the  organ  sounds  a  sobbing  note, 
A  mournful  melody  insistent  swells. 
Then  soft  its  anguish  whispers  till  it  sinks 
Into  some  minor  strain  — a  threnody 
That  causes  hearts  to  beat  in  sad  accord. 
Aye,  meet  it  is  to  tread  the  aisle  with  slow 
And  mournful  feet,  and  banish  all  light  thoughts 
And  every  careless  smile,  for  here  are  signs 
Of  grief,  black  draperies  whose  gloomy  folds 
Droop  unresponsive  to  the  gentle  touch 
Of  summer  breeze,  which  steals  away  abashed; 
Nor  ventures  in  the  sunshine  glad,  but  leaves 
The  place  to  shadow  and  to  grief.     Sad  thoughts 
Abound,  deep  sighs  and  tears  ;  for  Death  has  dared 
The  fold  and  taken  one  much  loved  away. 
The  Shepherd  of  the  flock,  leaving  instead 
From  his  unwelcome  train,  mournful  lament 
And  silent  grief,  grave  care  and  anxious  fears. 

There  is  the  sacred  desk  where  he  for  five 
And  forty  years  did  preach  salvation  free, 
Warning  the  sinner  from  his  downward  way, 
Pleading  the  beauty  of  the  paths  of  p?ace 
That  he  might  win  his  flock  to  holy  life 
And  lead  them  all  at  last  safe  home  to  Heaven. 

There  stands  the  massive  pulpit  chair  now  swathed 
In  black,  where  oft  he  sat,  perchance  in  prayer, 
Whilst  anthems  high  ascended  or  the  hymn 
Of  praise  ;  and  there  the  Bible  where  his  hand 
Was  wont  to  rest  as  earnestly  he  sought 
To  lead  his  people  to  the  Mercy  Seat. 
To-day  that  hand  rests  in  the  silent  grave. 
That  voice  on  earth  shall  never  more  be  heard. 
His  work  below  is  done  ;  and  in  his  place 
A  stranger  stands  to  preach  the  word  of  God. 

And  many  list  attentively,  but  some 

Avert  their  eyes  and  give  scant  heed  ;  yet  blame 

92 


Them  not,  for  even  Holy  Writ  hath  said 

That  stranger's  voice  the  sheep  will  not  obey 

And  some  of  these  no  other  Shepherd's  care 

Have  known.     Strange  eloquence  attracts  them  not. 

Let  them  alone.     Shall  not  the  child  bewail 

His  father  dead,  or  friend  lament  a  friend  ? 

And  he  was  friend  to  all  and  watched  o'er  all 

With  more  than  common  father's  love,  and  deep 

Solicitude.     And  he  was  loved  by  all, 

By  all  revered.     The  little  children  scanned 

His  face  and  knew  him  as  a  friend,  for  was 

He  not  their  minister,  who  talked  with  God, 

And  preached  to  them  the  words  that  God  had  said. 

The  aged  ones,  whose  comfort  he  had  been 

As  Death's  remoiseless  hand  successive  swept 

Away  their  loved  ones,   all  that  made  life  sweet 

And  dear,  now  falter  in   life's  dreary  way, 

And  dread  to  pass  the  lonely  shadowed  vale, 

And  grieve  that  stranger  priest  their  bodies  shall 

Commit  unto  the  grave.     And  even  those 

Of  other  faith  now  mourn  the  good  man  gone, 

Finding  the  world  a  lonelier,  sadder  place, 

For  one  life  vanished,  whose   mere  presence  was 

A  benediction. 

A  Christlike  man  was  he, 
Who  sought  to  preach  God's  word  in  purity, 
And  by  his  own  true  life  to  show  how  near 
Man  might  attain  to  that  fair  pattern  set 
By  Christ.     All  marked  him  as  a  man 
Of  peace,  meek,  patient,  full  of  charity, 
And  yet  when  'gainst  the  weak  and  helpless  gaped 
The  ravening  powers  of  sin,  or  when  within 
The  church  strange  doctrines  rose  and  doubts  were  cast 
Upon  the  inspired  Word  of  God,  ah,  then 
He  fearless  was  as  man  of  war  with  stern 
Rebuke  for  aught  that  dared  contend  the  right 
And  true. 

For  this  all  honored  him  and  for 
His  thought  profound,  his  insight  keen  in  ways 
And  thoughts  of  men,  his  knowledge  deep  of  truths 
Which  God  alone  reveals,  his  counsel  wise 
With  wisdom  sought  of  God  and  granted  him 
In  measure  full.     Yet  on  that  Sabbath  day 

93 


As  midst  the  signs  of  grief  his  people  sat 

Methinks  'twas  not  of  honor  that  they  thought. 

Nay,  rather  did  each  mutely  grieve  as  child 

Forsaken,  missing  the  dear  familiar  face, 

Longing  to  hear  again  that  gracious  voice 

While  Memory  with  a  fad  insistence  dwelt 

Upon  some  helpful  word,  some  thoughtful  deed, 

Or  whispered  low  of  Eastertide  when  last 

He  broke  the  bread  and  passed  the  wine  and  preached 

The  blessed  hope  to  all  sad  hearts  God-given 

Since  from  the  dead  the  Saviour  rose  again. 

Then  blessed  his  people,  from  among  them  passed 

Whilst  troubled  eyes  did  note  with  secret  dread 

The  pallid  face,  the  trembling  voice  and  step. 

Yes,  from  the  Table,  passed  he  forth,  as  passed 
His  Lord,  to  learn  those  last  sad  lessons  which 
A  Heavenly  Father  sends,  of  patient  trust, 
Though  led  along  the  suffering  way  to  death. 
To  death  andjoy  beyond  !  while  we  are  left 
To  mourn,  to  grope  in  darkness  where  once  shone 
The  steady  light  of  that  pure,  faithful  life, 
To  wander  in  strange  paths  since  he  who  knew 
So  well  the  narrow  way,  no  longer  leads 
Our  weary  feet  therein.     Ah,  helpless  we. 
And  scattered  and  in  sore  distress  ;  we  know 
Not  where  to  turn .     Dangers  assail,  dark  fears 
Beset  our  path,  and  faith  lies  low  and  hope 
Has  sped  away. 

O  God,  our  Father,  Thou 
Who  didst  remove  our  shepherd  and  our  guide. 
I^ook  down  with  pitying  eye.     Bind  up  sore  hearts 
And  pour  the  balm  of  consolation  in. 
Send  faith  with  surer  power,  and  joyous  hope 
Recall;  and  though  we  still  may  tread  the  rough 
And  saddened  path,  oh,  grant  that  vision  rare, 
The  vision  of  the  perfect  day,  when  grief 
And  sorrow  shall  have  fled  away,  and  we 
With  everlasting  joy  upon  our  heads 
Shall  in  the  Zion  of  our  God  with  those 
Who  passed  before  and  those  who  after  come — 
When  we,  thy  church  complete,  shall  all  unite 
In  holy,  perfect  praise  forevermore. 

Mary  Almira  Parsons. 


94 


Khhvts^tB. 


The  Uses  of  Political  Parties. 


[Delivered  by  Dr.    Parsons  before  the  Alumni  at  Hamilton   College,  July   isi, 
i8Sj.     Published  in  The  New  Princeton  Revietv,  May,  1887'] 

IN  attempting  to  point  out  some  of  the  uses  of  political  parties, 
we  shall  make  no  comparison  as  to  their  relative  merits,  nor  shall 
we  trace  their  origin,  nor  the  various  changes  which  they  have 
undergone;  it  being  our  object  not  to  vindicate  any  party  or  party 
measure,  but  rather  to  meet  the  common  objection  that  the  influence 
of  party  politics  is  demoralizing  both  to  the  Government  and  the 
masses. 

Admitting  that  the  very  terms,  rings,  caucuses,  and  political  con- 
ventions, have  an  unpleasant  flavor,  suggestive  of  trickery,  rascality, 
the  buying  and  selling  of  votes,  and  the  misleading  of  honest  men 
into  the  support  of  demagogues,  we  claim  that  all  these  evils  are 
attributable  to  the  abuse  and  not  the  proper  use  of  the  political 
party,  which,  so  far  from  meriting  condemnation,  must  be  recognized 
as  furnishing  important  wheels  in  the  machinery  of  our  Govern- 
ment which  the  fathers  of  the  republic  failed  to  provide,  and  through 
whose  agency  alone  the  most  obscure  citizen  can  make  his  influence 
so  felt  as  to  become  a  potent  factor  in  the  Government. 

And  here,  in  the  opening  of  this  discussion,  we  cannot  fail  to  be 
impressed  with  its  importance  when  we  consider  the  magnitude  of 
these  parties.     We  think  of  them  as   filling  the  land;  with  not  a 

95 


township,  a  school  district,  or  a  hamlet  but  contains  their  ardent 
admirers  and  firm  supporters.  These  parties,  as  they  stand  confront- 
ing each  other  face  to  face,  far  outnumber  any  armies  which  were 
ever  marshalled  on  the  field  of  battle  ;  each  is  composed  of  its  mil- 
lions of  free  voters,  while  each  represents  still  other  millions  of 
women  and  children  who  feel  hardly  less  interest  in  their  success. 
But  these  parties  are  not  less  marvellous  for  their  extent  and  the 
diffused  power  which  permeates  the  masses,  than  for  those  agencies 
by  which  that  power  is  concentrated  and  rendered  effective.  For 
these  are  organized  bodies,  and  in  their  organizations  they  recognize 
the  principle  of  civil  liberty,  which  is  simply  the  right  of  every  man 
to  his  share  and  no  more  than  his  share  in  the  Government  ;  he  is  to 
bow  to  the  will  of  the  majority,  and  is  to  respect  those  rules  and 
processes  by  which  that  will  is  ascertained.  Here,  then,  in  the 
party  drill  which  is  so  common,  are  to  be  found  the  training-schools 
in  which  men  are  fitted  either  to  stand  in  the  ranks  as  the  uncom- 
promising defenders  of  good  government,  or  to  execute  the  high 
and  responsible  duties  of  office  if  called  to  the  same  by  their  fellows. 
It  is  in  these  training-schools  that  men  are  taught  how  to  work 
together  and  how  to  combine  their  influence ;  they  are  taught  that 
submission  is  the  first  duty  of  the  citizen,  and  that  only  those  who, 
in  obedience  to  rules  and  regulations,  work  in  harmony  with  others 
can  ever  be  safely  intrusted  with  the  exercise  of  power.  And  cer- 
tainly the  drill  of  these  great  parties,  by  which  the  millions  of  their 
adherents  are  brought  into  line  and  made  to  keep  step,  is  a  fact  that 
challenges  our  admiration,  and  all  the  more  so  when  we  reflect  that 
it  is  accomplished  without  the  slightest  compulsion.  Think  for  a 
moment  of  the  interest  which  culminates  in  those  quadrennial  nomi- 
nating conventions  in  which  these  parties,  through  their  representa- 
tives from  every  part  of  the  nation,  select  their  candidates  for  the 
highest  honors  in  the  gift  of  the  people ;  think  of  the  zeal  of  the 
various  factions,  which  rises  to  a  white  heat  as  they  urge  the  claims 
of  their  favorites — a  zeal  so  intense  in  its  antagonisms  as  to  threaten 
the  very  disruption  of  the  party  ;  and  yet,  as  the   culminating  point 

96 


is  reached  and  the  one  successful  name  is  announced,  how  suddenly 
does  this  turbulent  sea  become  calm,  how  quickly  do  these  discor- 
dant notes  change  into  one  grand  chorus  of  harmony.  And  shall  we 
give  no  credit  to  agencies  which,  without  coercion,  exert  such  power 
to  hold  the  selfish  aspirations  of  men  in  check,  and  so  concentrate 
their  influence  as  to  render  it  most  effective  ? 

Just  at  this  point,  however,  we  cannot  leave  unnoticed  the  agency 
of  the  political  press,  with  its  postal  and  telegraphic  facilities,  in 
promoting  and  securing  this  unity  of  action  to  which  allusion  has 
been  made.  We  yield  our  perferences  in  order  to  work  in  unison, 
just  because  we  have  been  counselling  together  through  these  mar- 
vellous agencies  by  which  mind  is  brought  in  contact  with  mind, 
though  widely  separated  all  over  these  States  and  Territories.  Our 
Congress,  our  State  Legislatures,  and  even  our  political  conventions 
are  not  the  only  deliberative  bodies  which  we  have  ;  the  people 
themselves,  with  the  daily  newspaper  in  hand,  constitute  the  great 
and  controlling  deliberative  body  of  this  country.  At  every  fireside, 
through  means  of  the  press,  questions  as  to  governmental  policy  are 
thought  out,  discussed,  and  settled.  Thus  it  is  that  public  opinion 
is  wrought  out  into  a  definite  and  reliable  form.  No  man  can  un- 
derstand American  politics  without  recognizing  the  leadership  of 
the  press.  These  editorial  chairs  have  come  to  be  thrones  of  power 
and  centres  of  influence  such  as  the  fathers  of  the  republic  could 
never  have  dreamed  of.  They  have  far  more  to  do  in  moulding 
public  opinion  and  shaping  the  policy  of  the  Government  than  all 
the  debates  of  Congress  and  other  legislative  bodies.  But  while 
they  are  acknowledged  leaders,  it  is  a  gratifying  fact  that  they  can- 
not lead  the  people  arbitrarily,  but  are  themselves  controlled  b}' 
the  public  opinion  which  crystallizes  under  their  influence. 

And  the  surprising  tenacity  with  which  people  cling  to  the  party 
of  their  choice  very  naturally  directs  attention  to  the  historical  char- 
acter of  these  parties.  They  are  like  large  trees  which  cannot  be 
blown  over,  because  of  the  years  during  which  their  roots  have  been 
striking  deeply  into  the  earth.    To  become  acquainted  with  either  of 

97 


the  great  polital  parties  of  our  land,  you  must  trace  its  roots  all 
through  those  agitations  which  have  followed  each  other  ever  since 
the  birth  of  the  nation,  and,  especially,  through  that  great  conflict 
which  almost  accomplished  its  disruption.  These  parties  are  what 
they  are  to-day  because  they  are  not  a  fabrication,  but  a  growth,and 
therefore  they  cannot  be  taken  apart  and  built  up  at  will.  When 
we  look  at  our  mighty  rivers  and  discover  the  large  tributaries 
which  flow  into  them,  we  say  that  they  are  where  they  are  and  their 
channels  are  broad  and  deep  just  because  they  have  been  obliged  to 
dispose  of  the  waters  which  have  come  to  them  through  these  tribu- 
taries; in  like  manner  do  we  account  for  the  deep  channels  which 
these  political  parties  have  cut  for  themselves,  and  for  the  direction 
of  the  current  which  flows  through  the  same,  by  tracing  them  back 
to  those  tributaries  of  influence  in  the  past  which  have  served  to 
define  their  policy  and  impart  to  them  the  character  which  they  now 
possess.  We  cannot  forget  that,  in  the  years  gone  by,  men  who 
have  held  high  positions  in  our  national  councils,  and  who  have  been 
respected  for  their  disinterested  patriotism,  have  counted  it  an  honor 
to  enroll  their  names  as  members  of  these  parties.  The  men  of 
to-day  are  not  a  little  indebted  to  those  worthy  names  as  furnishing  a 
constant  incentive  to  high-minded  patriotism,  and  as  constant  a 
rebuke  to  everything  that  is  narrow,  selfish  and  base.  It  is  thus  that 
the  best  elements  of  any  one  age  contribute  more  to  the  stream  of 
party  influence  than  those  of  the  opposite  character.  The  former 
live  because  they  are  cherished,  while  the  latter   die,  being  ignored. 

Added  to  this  we  must  not  fail  to  notice  how  largely  this  party 
zeal  is  the  fruit  of  an  ancestral  spirit,  and  as  such  is  worthy  of  being 
cherished.  We  are  accustomed  to  honor  the  children  when  we  see 
them  following  in  the  footsteps  of  their  fathers  and  glorying  in 
their  party  banner  because  their  fathers  once  carried  the  same.  In- 
stead of  calling  this  a  blind  enthusiasm  we  rather  commend  it  as  a 
noble  sentiment,  and  discover  in  it  a  conservative  power  for  good. 

And  this  leads  to  the  more  general  remark  that  the  free  institu- 
tions with  which  we,  as  a  nation,  have  been  blessed  for  more  than  a 

98 


century  have  furnished  the  very  soil  out  of  which  these  poHtical 
parties  have  sprun<i;^,  and  by  which  they  have  been  nourished.  To  con- 
clude, therefore,  that  they  are  corrupt  and  demoralizing,  would  be 
a  very  sad  reflection  upon  the  life  of  this  republic.  If,  in  the  polit- 
ical history  of  our  land,  we  discover  only  a  deteriorating  tendency, 
then  are  we  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  the  spirit  of  liberty  has 
fallen  in  her  own  home,  and  is  being  destroyed  by  her  own  children. 
For  the  masses  who  compose  these  political  parties,  with  all  their  vir- 
tues and  with  all  their  faults,  are  the  product  of  the  mighty  and  pro- 
longed effort  which  has  been  made  to  establish  upon  these  shores  a 
republic  which  shall  be  a  model  to  the  world.  In  all  our  criticisms 
of  these  parties,  and  they  deserve  very  severe  criticism,  let  us  never 
forget  that  they  are  composed  of  none  other  than  those  who,  with 
not  less  pride  than  the  ancient  Roman,  can  each  exclaim  :  "I  am 
an  American  citizen!" 

We  now  invite  attention  to  the  relation  which  these  parties  sustain 
to  the  Government;  and  we  do  this  not  with  the  design  of  engaging 
in  a  general  discussion  of  the  subject,  but,  rather,  that  we  may 
point  out  our  indebtedness  to  these  parties  for  the  protection  which 
they  afford  us  as  the  bulwarks  of  civil  liberty.  Not  that  either  party 
is  so  pure  that  it  could  be  trusted  alone,  but  our  safety  is  to  be 
traced  to  the  attitude  of  antagonism  in  which  we  find  them  always 
arrayed  toward  each  other.  And  if  to  any  it  seems  impossible  that 
this  party  hostility  can  be  any  other  than  an  unmixed  evil,  if  to  any 
the  organizing  of  clubs,  the  wearing  of  uniforms,  and  marching  with 
torch-lights  to  the  beat  of  the  drum  shall  seem  like  a  menace  to  our 
liberties,  let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  all  this  is  but  the  arousing  of 
two  giants  to  watch  each  other.  Each  is  saying  to  the  other,  "Thus 
far  mayest  thou  come,  but  no  farther."  Each  is  ready  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  other's  mistakes,  and  each  is  promising  a  better  Gov- 
ernment than  the  other  has  afforded.  Neither  could  be  trusted  with- 
out the  other  to  watch  it;  and  to  suppose  a  collusion  between  the  two 
would  be  to  suppose  ourselves  at  the  mercy  of  an  oligarchy.  For 
there  are  bad  men  enough  in  either  party  to  wreck  the  Government 

99 


if  they  could;  but  they  are  powerless  to  accomplish  their  purposes 
outside  of  party  lines,  and  they  are  almost  as  powerless  within 
party  lines,  by  reason  of  the  check  which  these  parties  hold 
upon  each  other.  We  know  that  the  accuracy  with  which  the 
planets  move  in  their  orbits  is  the  result  of  counteracting  forces;  we 
know  also,  in  mechanism,  that  the  great  strength  of  the  arch  is  the 
result  of  the  opposition  of  its  two  sides.  These  two  facts  may  serve 
to  illustrate  how  the  reliability  and  accuracy  of  the  great  depart- 
ments of  our  Government,  which,  like  the  planets,  move  in  separate 
orbits,  are  secured  by  counteracting  political  forces;  or,  to  change 
the  figure,  how  the  amazing  strength  of  our  free  institutions  is  seen 
when  we  think  of  our  Government  as  an  arch  composed  of  these 
two  political  parties  which  fill  the  land,  each  leaning  against  the 
other.  And  if  these  illustrations  have  force,  then  the  importance 
of  keeping  these  parties  as  nearly  equal  as  possible  must  be  obvious; 
for  the  whole  arch  is  weakened  just  in  proportion  as  you  weaken 
either  side.  Those,  therefore,  who  call  for  the  destruction  of  either 
or  both  of  our  present  parties  expose  their  ignorance  as  to  the  im- 
portant service  they  are  rendering.  If  it  be  said  that  they  are 
corrupt,  it  is  quite  obvious  that  they  are  not  more  corrupt  than  are 
the  people  who  compose  them.  And  should  they  be  abandoned, 
and  other  parties  organized  in  their  places,  unworthy  and  unscrupu- 
lous men  could  not  be  kept  out — they  would  be  sure  to  push  them- 
selves to  the  front,  if  possible.  In  other  words,  the  vicious  element 
of  society  cannot  be  eliminated  by  any  manoeuvering.  But  an  arch 
may  be  reconstructed,  section  by  section,  without  demolishing  the 
structure;  and  so  a  party  may  be  readjusted  to  meet  new  issues, 
while  all  the  time  it  does  better  work  in  sustaining  the  interests  of 
the  Government.  The  lessons  of  history  are  proof  that  parties 
themselves  do  change,  and,  indeed,  are  very  quick  to  conform  to  a 
popular  demand.  The  sudden  abandonment  of  a  political  party  is 
analogous  to  revolution  in  a  Government,  warrantable  only  in  ex- 
treme emergencies. 

This  view  of  the  case  is  also  very  suggestive  as  to  the  value  of 

lOO 


an  opposition  party  when  thrown  out  of  power.  We  often  think  of 
it  as  laid  aside  until  it  shall  be  again  invited  to  assume  control. 
But  this  is  far  from  the  proper  measure  of  its  value.  It  is  needed 
incessantly  as  a  check  to  undue  legislation,  which  is  one  of  our 
greatest  dangers;  while,  often,  in  positive  work,  and  in  shaping  the 
future  policy  of  the  Government,  it  exerts  hardly  less  influence  than 
the    dominant  party. 

But,  interesting  as  is  this  view  of  the  relation  of  the  political 
party  to  the  Government,  we  claim  for  it  even  a  still  higher  value, 
when  we  consider  its  direct  relation  to  the  masses  of  the  people  as 
an  educational  power.  We  have  already  directed  attention  to  the 
fact  of  its  furnishing  training-schools  for  those  who  are  called  to  the 
exercise  of  power,  and  also  that  it  is  itself  the  outgrowth  of  our 
free  institutions;  the  additional  point  which  we  now  adduce  is  that 
it  stimulates  the  masses  to  think  and  study,  and  educates  them  to  a 
better  appreciation  of  their  privileges. 

When  we  deplore  existing  corruptions,  and  question  the  expedi- 
ency of  permitting  foreigners  so  soon  to  vote,  and  regard  it  as  a 
mistake  that  the  freedmen  were  endovv'ed  with  the  right  of  suffrage, 
we  do  not  consider  how  difficult  a  problem  has  been  given  our 
nation  to  solve;  which  is  nothing  less  than  the  assimilating  of  these 
heterogeneous  peoples  to  American  usuages  and  American  ideas. 
The  question  before  us  is  not  how  the  descendants  of  the  Puritans, 
holding  similar  views  respecting  religion  and  government,  shall  fur- 
nish for  themselves  the  pleasantest  homes,  and  live  with  the  least 
annoyance,  but  the  far  greater  question  is.  What  shall  we  do  with 
these  people  who  worship  other  gods,  and  have  every  variety  of 
opinion  as  to  morals  and  government .?  And  the  only  reply  to  this 
question  is,  We  must  either  Americanize  them,  or  they  will  destroy 
us.  We  cannot  afford  to  repel  them,  and  thus  throw  them  into  a 
class  by  themselves ;  but  we  must  welcome  them,  we  must  win 
them  ;  and  this  we  must  do  by  introducing  them  to  the  same  rights 
and  privileges  which  we  ourselves  enjoy.  And  this  is  just  what  the 
political  party,  compelled  by  self-interest,  has  ever  been  forward  to 

lOI 


do  ;  and,  in  so  doing,  has  reached  clear  down  to  the  very  bottom  of 
society  and  brought  up  the  lower  classes,  which  have  been  neglected, 
oppressed,  and  abused  ;  brought  them  up  into  the  light  and  pure  air 
of  our  free  institutions — a  kind  of  sub-soiling  process,  which  is  not 
less  important  in  the  interests  of  civilization  than  in  successful  agri- 
culture. With  our  fastidious  notions  we  have  given  but  little  credit 
for  this  kind  of  work,  and  have  called  it  demagogism,  just  because 
too  largely  it  has  been  inspired  by  unworthy  motives.  'And  yet  the 
fact  remains  that  our  great  political  parties  have  laid  right  hold  of 
these  heterogeneous  masses,  and  have  done  more  in  this  work  of 
assimilation  than  any  other  one  agency  that  can  be  named.  Nor 
should  we  underrate  this  as  an  educational  work  because  it  recog- 
nizes neither  text-book  nor  class-room  ;  any  influence  that  awakens 
a  man  to  new  life,  so  that  he  respects  his  own  manhood,  and  feels 
that  no  man,  not  even  a  king,  has  a  right  to  tread  upon  him,  is  in 
the  best  sense  educational.  And  we  know  that  this  is  just  the  influ- 
ence that  the  political  party  exerts  in  securing  recruits.  Indeed,  it 
goes  further  than  this  ;  it  impresses  each  man  with  a  sense  of  per- 
sonal responsibility,  and  seeks  to  make  him  feel  that  there  is  a  place 
in  the  party  which  no  one  can  fill  but  himself. 

There  is  an  educational  influence,  also,  in  those  party  agencies 
which  bring  men  together  ;  mind  is  brought  in  contact  with  mind. 
Men  are  called  upon  to  think,  to  discriminate,  to  answer  objections, 
and  to  invent  means  for  the  attainment  of  given  ends  ;  and,  when 
brought  thus  closely  together,  each  feels  the  magnetic  current  which 
runs  through  the  entire  party.  An  additional  point,  showing  its  edu- 
cational power,  is  the  sense  of  proprietorship  which  is  fostered  by 
this  party  spirit,  making  the  man  to  feel  that  he  not  only  belongs  to 
the  party,  but  that  the  party  belongs  to  him — a  proprietorship  which 
renders  him  solicitous  that  his  party  shall  fulfil  its  pledges  in  the 
matter  of  honest  legislation  ;  and  no  man  can  exercise  this  care  and 
feel  this  solicitude  without  being  more  of  a  man  than  he  otherwise 
would  be. 

The  danger  of  giving  the  right  of  suffrage  to  the  illiterate  classes 

102 


is  usually  exai^gcrated  ;  first,  for  the  reason  that  even  among  the 
educated  only  a  portion  are  to  be  found  who  have  so  comprehended 
the  questions  at  issue,  in  any  given  election,  as  to  vote  independ- 
ently ;  all  others  simply  follow  what  they  regard  as  the  better  judg- 
ment of  those  who  have  studied  these  questions  ;  and  this  is  pre- 
cisely what  the  illiterate  voter  does.  But,  again,  the  illiterate,  as  a 
class,  are  impotent  for  harm  to  the  Government,  except  through  the 
agency  of  political  parties,  and  we  have  already  seen  the  powerless- 
ness  of  parties  to  do  us  harm  by  reason  of  the  check  which  they 
have  upon  each  other.  We  concede  that  illiteracy  is  a  serious  ob- 
stacle to  good  government,  and  therefore  rejoice  in  the  power  of 
the  ballot,  when  placed  in  the  hand  of  an  ignorant  man,  to  wake 
him  up  to  a  new  life  and  nobler  aspirations,  while  it  is  his  passport 
to  the  political  party  which  immediately  helps  him  in  securing  his 
rights.  A  man  who  was  asked  whether  he  did  not  think  the  play- 
ing of  children  upon  his  lawn  injured  the  grass,  replied  that  he  did, 
but  that  he  failed  to  see  that  it  injured  the  children  ;  a  reply  not 
inapplicable  to  the  question  before  us. 

But  the  powerlessness  of  the  illiterate,  as  a  class,  to  harm  us,  so 
long  as  we  are  protected  by  these  political  parties,  at  once  suggests 
the  still  wider  application  of  this  same  principle,  as  furnishing  a 
corrective  for  all  those  combinations  which  may  threaten  the  per- 
petuity of  our  free  institutions.  We  are  not  fearing  that  a  Caesar 
or  a  Napoleon  will  capture  the  Government  by  the  sword,  and 
establish  a  military  despotism,  for  the  reason  that  the  tastes  of  the 
people  are  agricultural,  commercial,  and  manufacturing,  rather  than 
military  ;  but  fears  are  entertained  lest  our  vast  moneyed  corpora- 
tions shall  come  to  be  a  power  greater  than  the  Government  itself. 
The  fathers  of  the  republic  very  carefully  guarded  the  rights  of  the 
smaller  against  encroachments  by  the  larger  States  ;  but  we  have 
lost  sight  of  that  danger  in  the  far  greater  one  that  threatens  us 
from  our  railroad,  telegraphic,  manufacturing,  and  other  corpora- 
tions, which,  unrestricted  even  by  State  boundaries,  have  become 
truly  national,  both  in  extent  and  influence.     But,  while  the  power 

103 


of  these  corporations  is  incalculable,  and  their  heartlessness  pro- 
verbial, we  must  not  forget  that  their  self-interest  holds  them  largely 
in  restraint.  First,  for  the  reason  that  capital  is  very  sensitive  to 
any  governmental  disturbance,  it  can  ill  afford  to  invite  anarchy  ; 
and  second,  it  is  the  true  ally  of  the  laboring  classes  ;  those  classes 
must  be  conciliated  in  order  to  its  own  promotion  and  highest 
prosperity.  Still,  after  making  all  these  allowances,  it  cannot  be 
denied  that  capitalists  have  tampered  with  our  legislation,  that 
money  has  corrupted  the  ballot-box,  and  that  these  monopolies 
are  a  constant  menace  to  our  liberties.  A  true  self-interest  does 
not  always  control  these  corporations,  for  the  reason  that  they  are 
blinded  by  their  greed.  And  the  point  which  we  wish  to  make  is 
that  our  large  and  thoroughly  organized  political  parties  are  needed 
to  protect  us  from  these  abuses  ;  they  alone  are  competent  for  this 
work.  Were  we  divided  into  a  dozen  political  factions,  these 
moneyed  interests  would  rule  us  with  a  rod  of  iron.  But,  it  may 
be  objected,  do  not  these  moneyed  interests  even  now  corrupt  our 
present  political  parties .?  We  answer,  yes ;  but  they  cannot  con- 
trol them,  for  the  reason  that  neither  party  can  afford  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  special  friend  of  the  capitalist.  Both  alike  offer 
the  largest  facilities  for  the  laboring  classes  to  organize  a  successful 
resistance  to  all  such  encroachments  of  power. 

Again,  the  different  nations  of  the  Old  World  represented  on 
these  shores  might  give  us  untold  trouble  by  making  this  their 
battle-ground.  We  might  find  clan  meeting  clan,  were  it  not  for 
the  power  of  these  political  parties  to  neutralize  these  antagonisms 
by  dividing  the  clans.  Happily  for  us,  neither  party  takes  all  of 
any  one  nationality,  and  therefore  old  issues  and  old  feuds  must  be 
forsaken. 

The  same  is  true  of  sectional  interests  and  those  divisions  which 
spring  from  the  same.  Our  territory  is  very  broad,  and  different 
classes  of  people  live  in  different  sections,  representing  civilizations 
so  diverse  that  what  is  esteemed  noble  and  honorable  in  one  section 
is  sometimes  regarded  as  mean  and   degrading   in  another.      Our 

104 


true  policy  as  a  nation,  is  not  to  permit  such  interests  to  crystallize 
by  themselves  and  squarely  to  clash  ;  and  therefore  we  discover  the 
serviceableness  of  these  parties  whose  platforms  are  broad  enough 
to  invite  men  from  every  section,  and  thus  prevent  section  from 
being  arrayed  against  section,  as  was  the  case  in  our  civil  war,  which 
was  itself  the  result  of  the  disruption  of  the  parties  of  that  day. 

For  a  similar  reason  we  may  rejoice  that  our  parties  are  large 
enough  tp  prevent  our  cities,  which  are  attaining  marvellous  dimen- 
sions, from  exercising  such  control  over  the  rural  populations  as  has 
characterized  the  cities  of  the  Old  World.  We  want  no  such  cen- 
tres of  power,  with  the  corrupt  influences  which  usually  gather  in 
the  same. 

But  of  all  the  combinations  which  may  endanger  the  republic 
those  of  a  religious  character  are  the  most  to  be  dreaded.  No 
student  of  history  can  contemplate  the  possibility  of  a  religious  war 
without  a  shudder.  No  tongue  can  describe  the  amount  or  degree 
of  human  suffering  which  has  resulted  from  the  attempt  to  propa- 
gate religion  by  coercion.  The  relation  which  these  political  parties 
sustain,  therefore,  to  the  great  religious  and  moral  movements  which 
agitate  the  public  mind  is  suggestive  of  questions  replete  with 
interest,  and  demanding  patient  study  and  nice  discrimination.  Hap- 
pily for  us,  our  Constitution  and  laws  proclaim  religious  liberty, 
which  is  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  a  pure  Christianity. 
Both  alike  warn  us  against  using  this  liberty  as  a  cloak  of  malicious- 
ness— it  being  a  liberty  to  think  as  we  please  but  not  always  to  act 
as  we  please — a  liberty  which  is  so  restricted  as  to  prevent  one  man 
from  making  his  religion  to  interfere  with  that  of  another  man.  Our 
policy  as  a  nation  is,  therefore,  at  war  with  every  religion  which  does 
not  recognize  this  cardinal  principle.  Again,  the  spirit  of  Christian- 
ity and  the  spirit  of  our  institutions  agree  in  recognizing  a  complete 
separation  between  Church  and  State.  These  are  co-ordinate  insti- 
tutions— both  have  been  ordained  of  God,  and  each  is  amenable  to 
Him  directly,  while  neither  is  amenable  to  Him  through  the  other. 
Whatever  of  religious    restraint    is    imposed    by    the    Government 

los 


upon  its  subjects  is  done  for  its  own  sake,  and  not  for  the  sake  of 
the  Church ;  its  own  health  and  prosperity  being  conditioned  upon 
its  adherence  to  the  principles  of  the  Decalogue  promulgated  from 
Sinai.  Because  the  Government  is  non-sectarian  it  is  not  godless. 
The  State,  however,  has  no  right  to  interfere  with  the  Church,  nor 
the  Church  with  the  State.  The  two,  in  their  relation  to  the  same 
God,  have  separate  functions,  and  are  clothed  with  very  different 
powers.  To  the  one,  God  has  handed  the  sword,  with  the  instruc- 
tion that  the  magistrate  shall  not  bear  it  in  vain ;  while  to  the  other 
he  has  said,  "Put  up  again  thy  sword  into  his  place,  for  all  they 
that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the  sword."  The  one  compels, 
while  the  other  persuades — the  one  applies  its  force  outwardly, 
while  the  other  sets  up  its  kingdom  in  the  heart,  and  thus  purifies 
the  very  fountain  of  moral  action.  With  such  very  obvious  distinc- 
tions, it  must  be  equally  obvious  that  our  true  policy,  as  a  people, 
will  be  found  in  a  very  strict  observance  of  these  lines  of  demarca- 
tion. The  Church  should  never  attempt  to  wage  its  battles  upon 
ground  belonging  to  the  civil  power.  All  it  can  ask  of  the  Govern- 
ment is  simple  protection.  In  its  own  department  it  wields  a  power 
incomparably  greater  than  that  of  the  sword.  In  view  of  these  dis- 
tinctions we  may  greatly  rejoice,  as  we  study  the  composition  of  our 
political  parties,  to  find  that  they  so  largely  disregard  all  Church 
lines,  and  that  men  belonging  to  these  various  denominations,  with 
equally  good  standing  in  the  same  Church,  are  intensely  at  variance 
in  their  political  views.  This  is  as  it  should  be.  We  want  no  Protes- 
tant party  as  opposed  to  a  Romish  party  ;  we  want  no  one  religious 
denomination  to  mass  itself  in  either  party  for  the  purpose  of  seizing 
the  reins  of  Government  in  its  own  interests  ;  and  should  it  accom- 
plish such  an  end,  it  would  only  be  to  its  own  injury.  All  our 
interests,  both  religious  and  civil,  are  best  subserved  by  having  the 
churches  themselves  divided  in  politics.  When  a  Protestant  and 
Romanist  find  themselves  standing  shoulder  to  shoulder  in  the  same 
political  party  and  working  zealously  for  its  advancement,  they  will 
become  better  acquainted  with  each  other,  and  as  a  result  will  lose 

1 06 


much  of  that  bitterness  which  is  the  fruit  of  ignorance  and  bigotry. 
Thus  it  IS  that  the  very  churches  themselves  are  compelled  to  give 
credit  to  the  political  parties  for  having  fostered  that  spirit  of  catho- 
licity which  has  become  so  prevalent  in  our  land,  and  which  is  the 
pride  of  every  true  American.  Similar  considerations  should  restrain 
us  from  inviting  those  extreme  moral  issues  upon  the  arena  of  poli- 
tics which  will  tend  to  drive  all  the  dissipated  and  lawless  classes 
into  a  party  by  themselves.  Our  true  policy  is  to  divide  their 
forces.  They  are  capable  of  inflicting  incalculable  harm.  As  with 
the  increase  of  wealth  and  luxury  these  criminal  classes  are  on  the 
increase,  they  suggest  some  of  the  most  difficult  problems  for  our 
statesmen  to  soh^e.  The  virtuous  portion  of  society  must  restrain 
them,  and  this  can  be  accomplished  far  better  through  party  affilia- 
tions than  through  party  antagonisms. 

It  is  the  narrow  view  of  politics  which  disgusts  us ;  while  it  is 
only  by  these  broader  views  that  we  rise  to  a  comprehension  of  the 
importance  of  the  political  party  as  an  indispensable  factor  in  the 
administration  of  our  Government,  and  discover  in  the  honorable 
partisan  the  qualities  of  the  true  patriot. 


Character  Building. 


{^Baccalaiireale  Sermon  preached  by  Dr.  Parsons  to  the  class  of 'g^  of  the 
Mount  Morris  High  School  ] 

I  St  Corinthians,  xii  :  31.  ''But  covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts'' 
While  the  Greek  word  cJiarismata  here  translated  gifts,  often 
refers  to  certain  miraculous  endowments,  yet  we  do  not  here  use 
it  in   such  a    restricted   sense,   but   rather  extend  to  it  that  larger 

107 


signification,  which  includes  all  those  powers  both  of  mind  and 
heart,  either  natural  or  acquired,  for  which  the  individual  is  indebted 
to  God  as  the  great  giver.  And  while  we  should  ascribe  all  honor  to 
God,  for  these  free  unmerited  gifts,  we  must  be  careful  not  to  regard 
them  with  a  mere  fatalistic  spirit,  as  though  they  were  distributed 
without  any  reference  to  our  own  earnest  desires  and  longings;  and 
willingness  withal  to  co-operate  in  their  future  development ;  in 
other  words  we  must  be  careful  in  this  relation,  not  to  assume  a 
merely  passive  attitude,  but  rather  as  our  text  would  imply,  we  must 
be  very  positive  in  our  desires,  and  thus  "covet  earnestly  the  best 
gifts." 

The  Greek  word  zahnite,  here  rendered  covet  earnestly,  is  of 
the  same  root,  from  which  our  word  zeal  is  derived ;  and  signifies 
very  intense  desire  after  any  thing  ;  which  indeed  is  the  happier 
rendering,  inasmuch  as  the  word  covet  ordinarily  expresses  a  desire 
after  things  to  which  we  have  no  right. 

How  we  are  to  be  intensely  earnest  without  being  selfish,  and 
how  we  are  to  make  the  most  of  our  own  powers,  and  render  our 
lives  grand  and  successful,  without  holding  others  back,  or  in  any 
way  trespassing  upon  their  rights,  is  often  in  practical  life  a  very 
difficult  problem.  The  apostle,  however,  in  the  connection  in  which 
we  find  our  text,  would  make  its  solution  quite  easy,  as  he  makes 
God's  will  so  prominent  a  factor  in  our  lives.  Again  and  again  he 
refers  to  God,  as  the  author  of  the  powers,  of  which  as  individuals 
we  might  be  tempted  to  be  proud.  He  says,  "Now  there  are  diver- 
sities of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit,  and  there  are  differences  of 
administrations,  but  the  same  Lord,  and  there  are  diversities  of 
operations,  but  it  is  the  same  God  which  worketh  all  in  all."  Here 
it  is  very  obviously  suggested,  that  in  character  building — in  the 
making  the  most  of  our  lives,  we  are  simply  to  strive  to  work  out 
God's  plan  with  respect  to  us  ;  in  our  very  faculties  we  are  to  dis- 
cover God's  gifts,  in  our  opportunities — we  are  to  trace  the  lead- 
ings of  his  Providence,  while  the  very  obstacles  which  may  seem  to 
hinder  us,  we  are  to  welcome  as  only  trials  of  strength.    Nothing  so 

io8 


changes  our  views  of  human  hfe  and  all  its  activities  as  this  placing 
of  God  first.  What  before  was  confused  and  distracting  becomes 
clear  and  orderly.  Especially  in  this  way  are  we  relieved  of  all 
those  sharp  antagonisms  which  have  ever  been  so  destructive  of 
happiness,  because  our  efforts  are  not  that  we  may  realize  superior- 
ity to  others,  but  rather  that  we  may  work  out  whatever  plan  God 
may  have  arranged  for  us.  Therefore  there  is  nothing  necessarily 
selfish  in  the  direction  to  covet  earnestly.  It  is  true  that  the  church 
at  Corinth  was  unhappily  divided  by  their  rivalries ;  but  the  apostle 
would  have  them  not  a  whit  the  less  active — he  would  only  have  a 
change  of  motives. 

It  is  a  false  view  of  humility,  that  we  are  to  suppress  all  ambi- 
tion. Ambition  can  be  pure  and  lofty  and  grand.  Our  powers 
have  been  given  us  to  be  used ;  and  we  should  use  them  to  the  best 
possible  advantage,  just  because  God  himself  has  given  them  to  us. 
The  noblest  thing  that  can  be  said  of  any  of  us,  is  that  we  are  God's 
workmanship. 

There  cannot  be  a  grander  motive  to  call  out  our  most  intense 
activities,  than  the  fact  that  God  invites  us  to  co-operate  with  him- 
self, in  such  a  development  of  our  own  powers,  and  such  a  rounding 
up  of  our  own  characters,  as  will  render  us  in  the  future,  objects  of 
interest  and  admiration  to  the  very  angels. 

But  in  this  work  of  self-improvement,  we  must  not  forget  that 
we  belong  to  a  sinful  race,  that  we  have  perverted  faculties,  that 
we  have  inherited  from  our  ancestors  unhappy  tendencies,  and  that 
therefore,  as  we  take  an  inventory  of  what  really  belongs  to  us,  we 
have  much  that  we  need  to  throw  away.  Science,  as  well  as  the 
Bible,  assures  us  that  we  are  the  degenerate  plants  of  a  strange  vine  ; 
while  the  Bible  alone  pomts  us  to  the  remedy  for  this  otherwise 
hopeless  defect.  To  try  to  build  character  on  merely  natural 
endowments,  is  like  building  a  house  upon  the  sand.  Says  the 
apostle,  "other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is 
Jesus  Christ."  When  we  invite  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  to  direct  our 
energies,  then    and  only  then,  can  we  feel  that  we  are  making  a 

109 


happy  selection  of  material,  and  that  what  we  construct  will  prove 
substantial  and  satisfactory. 

With  these  preliminary  considerations,  in  reg'ard  to  coveting  earn- 
estly the  best  gifts,  or  in  other  words  the  development  of  useful 
characters,  let  us  now  notice  a  few  points  which  deserve  special 
attention.  And  first,  we  would  urge  the  importance  of  magnifying 
our  individuality.  Consider  for  a  moment,  what  a  fact  it  is,  that  of 
all  the  countless  myriads  of  intelligences,  each  in  very  important 
respects,  stands  as  much  alone,  as  though  God  had  never  created 
any  other.  It  is  not  therefore  selfishness  for  us  to  take  an  interest 
in  ourselves,  that  we  do  not,  and  cannot  in  others.  We  have  a  power 
to  direct  our  own  energies,  which  we  do  not  have  over  others ;  we 
have  a  responsibility  for  our  conduct,  which  we  cannot  exchange 
with  our  neighbor.  Each  can  know  his  own  heart,  as  others  cannot 
know  it.  Each  has  a  consciousness  which  bars  others  out,  and  com- 
pels him  to  live  in  a  little  world  by  himself.  What  that  little  world 
is,  must  be  of  more  consquence  to  him,  than  anybody  else;  for  that 
is  his  home,  he  must  live  there,  whether  it  be  agreeable  or  disagree- 
able ;  he  cannot  move  away  and  leave  it.  And  can  there  be  any 
thought  more  important,  than  that  God  has  located  us  in  his  uni- 
verse, and  given  us  the  power  of  self-direction  and  self  development 
so  that  no  matter  what  may  take  other  people,  we  can  through 
Christ  be  successful ;  and  that  no  one  can  hurt  us  only  as  we  let 
them.  Personality  is  like  a  castle  whose  walls  cannot  be  scaled — the 
enemy  can  enter  only  as  the  door  is  opened  from  within. 

Now  we  magnify  this  individuality  when  we  take  it  just  as  we 
find  it,  without  any  murmurings,  or  invidious  comparisons,  and  feel 
that  in  it  we  have  our  problem  to  work  out.  We  are  to  be  our- 
selves, and  not  somebody  else.  As  no  two  faces  are  exactly  alike,  so 
no  two  individuals  are  exactly  alike.  God  does  not  want  them  to  be. 
The  unity  he  desires,  is  not  made  up  of  sameness  but  diversity.  To 
each  he  gives  an  entirely  separate  problem,  which  is  simply  to  make 
the  most  he  can  of  himself.  Says  the  apostle,  "For  I  say,  through 
the  grace  given  unto  me,  to  every  man  that  is  among  you,  not  to 

no 


think  of  himself  more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think,  but  to  think 
soberly,  according  as  God  hath  dealt  to  every  man  the  measure  of 
faith.  "  That  is  to  say,  they  were  neither  to  exaggerate  nor  depre- 
ciate their  own  importance,  but  they  were  to  make  a  truthful  esti- 
mate of  themselves. 

Our  next  point  in  regard  to  the  development  of  character  is, 
that  we  must  do  this  with  reference  to  others,  who  are  doing  simi- 
lar work.  Says  the  Savior,  "Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men  that 
they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which 
is  in  heaven."  Says  the  apostle,  "For  ye  are  laborers  together  with 
God." 

It  is  a  blessed  thought  that  we  can  help  others  and  be  helped 
by  them.  The  view  which  we  have  been  taking  of  individuality  is 
only  one  side  of  a  great  truth;  it  has  its  other  side,  which  is  not 
inferior  in  importance,  and  which  introduces  us  to  the  manifold 
complications  of  social  life.  We  are  born  for  society — God  never 
intended  that  we  should  live  alone.  Says  the  apostle,  "Ye  are 
members  one  of  another."  Indeed,  it  is  one  of  the  most  vexatious 
of  problems,  how  to  get  along  with  others,  how  to  adapt  ourselves 
to  their  peculiarities,  how  to  develop  our  own  characters,  so  as  to 
blend  with  theirs.  Our  life  work  as  individuals,  is  something  like 
the  fitting  of  different  blocks  of  marble  for  some  magnificent  tem- 
ple. The  master  workman  wants  to  bring  all  these  different  pieces 
of  work  together,  in  something  that  shall  be  grander  than  is  even 
suggested  by  any  individual  part  of  the  same.  It  is  this  thought 
that  makes  us  unselfish;  because  we  come  to  realize,  how  much  we 
need  the  work  of  others,  in  order  that  our  own  may  appear  to  the 
best  advantage. 

Again  a  point  of  the  greatest  importance  in  character  building, 
is  the  material  out  of  which  it  is  to  be  constructed.  And  here  we  shall 
greatly  err  if  we  regard  character  as  simply  a  piece  of  mechanism, 
and  its  construction  the  mere  putting  together  of  parts,  as  in  ordi- 
nary building;  character  is  a  growth,  it  is  like  a  plant  which  must  be 
developed;  it  needs  to  be  fed  with  the  proper  food,  in   order  to  be 

III 


strong,  healthy  and  fruitful.  And  now  let  us  consider  that  we 
feed  our  characters,  we  supply  the  material  out  of  which  they  are 
to  grow  very  largely  by  the  trains  of  thought  which  we  encourage. 
We  talk  of  education  and  we  are  impressed  with  the  relative  impor- 
tance of  this,  that,  or  the  other  department  of  study;  but  none  of 
these  subjects  can  have  the  practical  importance  to  us,  of  that  one 
question,  what  are  we  thinking  about .?  This  is  more  to  us  than  all 
schools  and  all  courses  of  study.  Says  the  Wise  Man,  "For  as  he 
thinketh  inhis  heart,  so  is  he."  To  know  what  we  are,  and  what 
we  are  to  be,  we  must  ask  what  are  the  hidden  thoughts  and  what 
are  the  trains  of  reflection  which  we  encourage.  No  fact  connected 
with  human  existence  can  be  more  wonderful  than  that  of  the  con- 
tin  uousness  of  thought. 

In  all  our  waking  moments,  think  we  must — we  cannot  stop 
thought;  we  have  only  the  power  to  say  into  what  channel  it  shall 
run.  But  this  is  enough.  It  is  all  we  should  desire.  To  be  able  to 
determine  what  course  of  investigation  we  will  enter  upon,  and  what 
train  of  thought  we  will  pursue,  is  the  power  to  determine  what  we 
are  to  be  and  what  kind  of  characters  we  are  to  develop.  The 
Psalmist  says,  "In  the  multitude  of  my  thoughts  within  me  thy 
comforts  delight  my  soul;"  from  which  we  conclude  that  he  had  a 
choice  in  regard  to  what  he  should  think  about,  and  encouraged 
such  thoughts  as  were  elevating  and  consoling.  No  matter  where 
we  are,  at  school,  at  home,  in  business  or  in  pleasure,  in  youth  or  in 
old  age,  this  is  a  part  of  our  education  which  we  never  can  afford  to 
neglect. 

But  next  in  importance  to  these  trains  of  thought,  as  food  for 
character,  we  would  name  the  books  and  papers  which  we  read. 
Reading  is  letting  others  do  our  thinking  for  us.  We  then  think 
their  thoughts  and  make  those  thoughts  our  own,  or  not,  as  we 
choose.  In  reading  there  is  the  widest  range,  from  that  which  is 
positively  corrupt  and  debasing,  to  that  which  is  pure,  elevating  and 
Godlike.  We  must  read  with  reference  to  enriching  the  mind,  puri- 
fying the  heart,  and  elevating  the  aspirations.     We  cannot  read  every 

112 


tliinc^,  and  therefore  we  are  compelled  to  choose  ;  and  here  we 
should  heed  the  exhortation  of  the  text,  to  "covet  earnestly  the  best 
gifts."  We  cannot  be  too  thankful  for  this  power  of  choice  by  which 
we  are  enabled  to  brush  away  all  that  is  vile,  to  refuse  also  that 
which  is  vapid  and  characterless,  and  absorb  only  that  which  goes 
to  strengthen  character  and  results  in  permanent  good.  And  in 
thus  selecting  food  for  character,  we  make  no  mistake  when  we 
rank  the  Bible  as  supreme  in  all  the  range  of  literature  ;  not  simply 
as  a  religious  book,  but  as  having  special  value  to  the  scholar  and 
the  man  of  business.  On  this  point  the  words  of  Charles  A.  Dana, 
the  editor  of  the  N.  Y.  Sun,  in  an  address  to  the  students  of  Union 
College  on  the  subject  of  journalism  will  be  pertinent.  He  says, 
"There  are  some  books  that  are  absolutely  indispensable  to  the  kind 
of  education  that  we  are  contemplating,  and  to  the  profession  that 
we  are  considering  ;  and  of  all  these,  the  most  indispensable,  the 
most  useful,  the  one  whose  knowledge  is  most  effective,  is  the  Bible. 
There  is  no  book  from  which  more  valuable  lessons  can  be  learned. 
I  am  considering  it  now,  not  as  a  religious  book,  but  as  a  manual  of 
utility,  of  professional  preparation  and  professional  use  for  a  jour- 
nalist. There  is  perhaps  no  book  whose  style  is  more  suggestive  and 
more  instructive,  from  which  you  leai^n  more  directly  that  sublime 
simplicity,  which  never  exaggerates,  which  recounts  the  greatest 
event,  with  solemnity  of  course,  but  without  sentimentality  or  affect- 
ation, none  which  you  open  with  such  confidence,  and  lay  down 
with  such  reverence ;  there  is  no  book  like  the  Bible.  When  you 
get  into  a  controversy,  and  want  exactly  the  right  answer,  when  you 
are  looking  for  an  expression,  what  is  there  that  closes  a  dispute 
like  a  verse  from  the  Bible.  What  is  there  that  sets  up  the  right 
principle  for  you,  which  pleads  for  a  policy,  for  a  cause  so  much  as 
the  right  passage  of  Holy  Scripture  .?  " 

But  again,  we  notice  as  food  for  character,  those  impressions 
which  we  are  receiving  in  our  every  day  life  from  our  fellow  men. 

The  wide,  wide  world  is  bringing  its  contributions  and  laying 
them  at  our  feet,  that  we  may  choose  what  to  take,  and  what  to 

113 


refuse.  We  may  think  of  the  busy  world  as  a  great  university  with 
an  elective  course,  in  which  we  are  permitted  to  select  our  own 
teachers.  We  are  told  that  President  Garfield  said  that  his  idea  of 
a  vniiversity  was  a  pine  bench  with  President  Hopkins  on  one  end, 
and  himself  on  the  other ;  which  was  only  a  strong  way  of  express- 
ing his  appreciation  of  the  power  of  all  great  educators  of  impress- 
ing upon  others  their  own  personality.  It  does  us  good  to  be  brought 
in  contact  with  men  of  large  brains,  and  larger  souls.  We  feel  their 
power,  something  as  we  feel  the  warmth  of  fire.  In  the  realm  of 
thought  they  make  us  to  be  partakers  of  their  victories,  and  they 
impart  to  us  that  which  makes  them  none  the  poorer  nor  the  weaker. 
This  dealing  with  the  world  is  an  educational  process  to  which 
we  are  all  subjected  ;  and  we  can,  if  we  will,  gain  from  our  fellows 
very  much  valuable  material  to  work  into  our  own  characters. 

But  we  remark  again,  that  in  this  great  battle  of  life,  this  effort 
which  we  put  forth  to  make  the  most  of  ourselves,  we  shall  do  well 
always  to  bear  in  mind  the  difference  between  reputation  and  char- 
acter. 

Our  reputation  is  what  the  world  says  about  us,  our  character  is 
what  we  really  are.  The  two  may  very  nearly  agree,  or  they  may 
be  widely  apart.  We  hardly  need  to  be  told  that  our  own  work  is 
the  building  of  character;  while  we  must  leave  to  others  the  build- 
ing of  our  reputations;  nor  need  we  be  told  that  character  is  of 
greater  importance  than  reputation.  Not  that  we  ev^er  should  be 
careless  of  our  reputations  by  expressing  indifference  as  to  how 
people  regard  us,  for  a  good  reputation  is  second  only  to  the  character 
itself.  The  wise  man  says,  "A  good  name  is  rather  to  be  chosen 
than  great  riches,  and  loving  favor  rather  than  silver  and  gold." 
The  apostle  says,  "Let  not  then  your  good  be  evil  spoken  of,"  in 
which  it  is  implied,  that  a  good  action  may  be  so  ill-timed  or  unhap- 
pily expressed  as  to  make  a  bad  impression,  and  that  we  ourselves 
are  responsible  to  a  certain  extent  for  the  impressions  which  we 
may  make.  Also  in  his  injunction  to  Timothy,  "Let  no  man  despise 
thy  youth,"   he  as  much  as  tells  him  that  he  has  it   in   his   power  to 

114 


compel  people  to  respect  him.  The  public  have  rights  in  us  which  we 
are  bound  to  respect,  and  we  never  can  afford  to  ignore  their  opin- 
ions, or  treat  them  with  contempt.  Indeed  it  is  one  of  the  very  high- 
est arts,  in  character  building,  so  to  build,  as  that  our  work  shall 
produce  the  best  possible  impression. 

But  we  notice  again,  that  in  the  development  of  our  characters 
we  should  enrich  them  with  the  very  best  material.  Here  if  any- 
where, we  should  covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts.  Too  often  the 
impression  prevails  that  it  is  quite  allowable  to  do  as  you  please, 
provided  you  do  nothing  that  is  positively  bad.  Our  lives  seem 
to  be  made  up  of  a  succession  of  choices.  In  unnumbered  little 
things  we  are  making  selections,  by  taking  this  and  refusing  that,  or 
by  doing  this  and  refusing  to  do  that,  and  our  characters  are  the 
products  of  these  choices.  Now  while  we  admit  that  the  most 
important  choice  is  between  good  and  evil,  yet  the  point  which  we 
Avish  here  to  emphasize  is,  that  even  among  things  that  are  good  in 
themselves  there  is  always  a  preference,  and  that  this  preference 
we  cannot  afford  to  treat  as  a  matter  of  indifference. 

The  sale  of  the  bu'thright  by  Esau  for  a  mess  of  pottage  illus- 
trates this  point.  There  was  nothing  wrong  in  the  mess  of  pottage; 
a  hungry  man  is  not  to  be  blamed  for  securing  food;  the  unspeak- 
able wrong  was  that  he  prefered  it  to  his  birthright;  that  having  a 
choice,  he  should  exercise  it  so  greatly  to  his  disadvantage.  It  is 
just  this  defect  that  accounts  for  the  many  weak  characters  to  be 
found  among  good  people, — people  of  no  moral  force,  and  who  never 
can  be  relied  upon  to  meet  important  emergencies. 

If  we  work  poor  material  into  the  fabric  of  character,  we  only 
cheat  ourselves,  and  the  fraud  will  surely  he  disclosed.  We  must 
reap  what  we  sow.  "If  thou  be  wise  thou  shalt  be  wise  for  thyself, 
but  if  thou  scorneth  thou  alone  shalt  bear  it."  What  more  can  we 
ask  than  the  privilege  of  making  our  own  selection,  and  then  be 
told  to  choose  the  best. 

I  am  happy  in  the  thought  that  our  subject  cannot  be  other  than 
appropriate  to  those  who  have  honored  me  by  asking  that  I  should 


II 


preach  a  sermon  with  reference  to  their  graduation  from  our  acade- 
my. No  subject  can  be  more  important  to  any  one  than  this  which 
we  have  considered,  and  especially  to  those  who  are  soon  to  assume 
the  more  weighty  responsibilities  of  active  life.  Already,  my  young 
friends,  you  have  been  doing  much  in  the  formation  of  your  char- 
acters. These  years  of  study  and  discipline  now  past  have  not  been 
in  vain.  Your  self-denial,  application,  and  earnestness,  have  been 
making  their  contributions  toward  achieving  the  victory,  which  is 
to  be  expressed  in  the  diplomas  which  you  are  soon  to  receive. 
You  ha\'e  been  learning  how  to  study,  how  to  use  your  own  mental 
powers,  and  how  to  investigate  the  truth  by  separating  it  from  error. 
Both  yourselves  and  teachers  have  cause  for  mutual  congratulation 
over  work  so  happily  accomplished. 

Very  properly  you  have  regarded  these  years  of  study,  as  prepar- 
atory to  your  life  work;  you  have  been  getting  ready  to  take  good 
positions  in  society.  But  you  hardly  need  be  told,  that  the  whole  of 
this  life  is  preparatory, — that  at  the  best  we  are  only  learning  how 
to  live,  by  correcting  our  mistakes,  and  trying  to  do  better  work 
than  we  have  done.  While,  therefore,  you  are  to  be  congratulated 
for  your  success,  you  are  much  more  to  be  congratulated  for  the 
grand  possibilities  which  are  before  you.  Human  existence  is 
sublime,  because  it  has  the  power  of  an  endless  life. 

You  are  permitted  to  labor  with  God,  to  work  out  his  plan,  to 
develop  powers  which  he  has  given  you.  Do  not  be  misled  into 
thinking  you  can  be  any  thing  you  want  to  be.  Very  few  ever 
realize  their  childish  fancies  and  youthful  aspirations  ;  and  doubtless 
it  is  far  better  for  us  that  we  do  not.  Too  often  we  are  thinking  only 
of  what  others  will  say  of  us  ;  we  are  adopting  earthly  standards  and 
are  trying  to  adjust  ourselves  to  a  worldly  environment.  God  loves 
us  too  well  to  let  us  have  our  way  in  these  respects.  In  all  our  dis- 
appointments he  is  remindmg  us  that  he  has  better  plans  for  us 
than  any  which  we  can  arrange  for  ourselves.  It  would  be  wrong- 
to  tell  you  that  your  lives  are  to  be  all  happy  and  all  joyous  ;  }-ou 
will  certainh"  have  )-our  dark  da}-s,  as  ha\-e  all  others  who  have  pre- 

ii6 


ceded  you.  But  remember  that  life  is  a  series  of  steps,  and  that  it 
is  only  one  step  at  a  time.  A  successful  life  is  none  other  than  the 
faithful  performance  of  every  day  duties.  I'he  Lord  would  have 
our  work  easy  and  delightful ;  it  is  our  own  pride  that  loads  us 
down  with  burdens  grievous  to  be  borne.  You  will  find  life  to  be  a 
battle ;  and  as  the  conflict  shall  deepen,  remember  that  "The  angel 
of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that  fear  him  and  deliv- 
ereth  them,"  and  that  they  that  be  for  you  are  more  than  they 
that  be  against  you. 

As  you  start  out  with  high  hopes  and  a  bright  future,  we  exhort 
you  to  covet  earnestly  the  best  gifts.  Make  your  lives  grand  by 
making  them  useful ;  and  make  them  beautiful  as  crowned  at  last 
with  that  benediction  of  the  Master,  "Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto  me." 


God's  Sovereign  Power  over  the  Nations. 


[Pcliz'ered  by  Dr.  J'ursoHS  before  ilie  J.   E.  Lee    Post,    G.  A.  R.,  JMovnt 
Morris,  jX.   ]'.,  May  2(jtli,  /eS>S'.] 

H.\G(;.\i  II :  7.  ''Ami  I  ivill  shake  all  nations,  and  the  desire  of 
all  natiojis  shall  come  and  I  "n'ill  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith  the 
Lord  (f  hosts." 

I  have  selected  this  text  as  expressive  of  God's  sovereign  power 
over  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  the  use  which  he  makes  of  that 
power  in  establishing  the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer.  Ilaggai  pro- 
phesied after  the  return  of  the  Jews  from  their  captivity  in  Babylon, 
and  about  500  years  before  the  coming  of  Christ. 

117 


He  was  raised  up  for  the  encouragement  of  God's  people,  in  the 
rebuilding  of  the  temple.  The  people  had  become  neglectful  of  the 
higher  duties  of  religion,  and  were  leading  worldly  selfish  lives ;  and 
so  we  find  this  good  prophet  remonstrating  with  them  for  living  in 
their  ceiled  houses,  and  permitting  the  Lord's  house  to  lie  waste. 
At  the  same  time,  he  addressed  them  with  words  of  generous  ex- 
hortation ;  and  as  they  were  giving  way  to  discouragement,  because 
the  foundations  of  the  temple  they  were  then  laying  were  insignifi- 
cant as  compared  with  those  of  Solomon's  temple,  he  assured  them 
of  the  superiority  of  the  future  temple,  because  it  would  be  glorified 
by  the  personal  presence  of  Christ ;  which  suggests  that  Christ  sub- 
sequently employed  these  very  words  "But  I  say  unto  you  that  in 
this  place  is  one  greater  than  the  temple." 

The  first  thought  to  which  we  call  attention  in  our  text  is  God's 
promise  that  he  would  shake  all  nations.  The  Jews,  in  their  feeble 
efforts  to  rebuild  the  temple,  must  have  trembled  in  view  of  their 
liability  to  be  overpowered  by  the  other  nations  of  the  earth.  It 
was  true  that  Cyrus  had  favored  their  return  ;  but  how  could  they 
be  sure  of  a  continuance  of  his  good  will .? 

But  God  answers  all  these  distrustful  questions  by  assuring 
them  that  all  the  nations  were  under  his  immediate  control,  and  that 
however  firmly  they  might  seem  to  stand  he  had  the  power  to  shake 
them.  And  let  us  stop  right  here  and  consider  the  sublimity  of 
this  claim.  How  arrogant  the  nations  of  the  earth  have  been,  as 
they  have  risen  one  by  one  in  their  might,  to  human  appearance  how 
strong  a  front  ha\'e  they  presented.  Think  of  the  Egyptian  nation, 
the  Assyrian,  the  Persian,  the  Greek  and  the  Roman,  how  they  have 
seemed  to  laugh  at  opposition  and  feel  that  they  had  an  unlimited 
tenure  of  power.  And  yet  God  claimed  that  he  had  the  power  to 
shake  them  when  they  were  at  the  zenith  of  their  strength  and 
glory ;  and  one  by  one  he  has  shaken  them,  and  so  fulfilled  his  own 
promise  ;  so  that  we  now  look  for  them  only  upon  the  pages  of  his- 
tory. They  are  no  longer  factors  in  the  great  problems  which  we  are 
now  studying  ;  other  nations  occupy  our  attention,  other  nations  are 

ll8 


dividing  up  the  earth's  surface,  other  nations  are  busy  watching  each 
other  with  jealous  eye,  each  claiming  for  itself  a  glorious  future,  and 
an  almost  unlimited  supremacy  ;  but  (iod's  hand  has  still  hold  of 
each;  nor  has  he  abated  one  whit  of  his  claim,  "I  will  shake  all 
nations." 

What  He  has  done  He  will  do, — thus  far  He  has  controlled  them, 
and  He  will  never  cease  to  exert  this  control.  He  will  not  resign  his 
sovereignty,  or  cease  to  execute  his  eternal  purposes.  The  history 
of  the  world  has  been  simply  the  unfolding  of  God's  great  plan  with 
reference  to  the  race  of  Adam. 

And  can  there  be  anything  more  sublime  than  this  view  of  God's 
raising  up  one  nation  and  putting  down  another  for  the  sake  of 
accomplishing  his  own  purpose  .?  Isaiah  says,  "Behold,  the  nations 
are  as  a  drop  of  a  bucket,  and  are  counted  as  the  small  dust  of 
the  balance  ;  behold,  he  taketh  up  the  isles  as  a  very  little  thing. 
*  *  *  All  nations  before  him  are  as  nothing;  and  they  are 
counted  to  him  as  less  than  nothing  and  vanity."  And  the  Psalmist 
says,  "The  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves,  and  the  rulers  take 
counsel  together,  against  the  Lord  and  against  His  Anointed  saying. 
Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder  and  cast  away  their  cords  from 
us.  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh;  the  Lord  shall  have 
them  in  derision." 

But  we  notice  in  the  second  place,  that  in  'shaking  the  nations, 
God  is  not  making  an  arbitrary  use  of  his  power  simply  for  the  sake 
of  displaying  the  same.  In  His  own  nature,  His  natural  attributes 
may  be  regarded  as  subordinate  to  his  moral  attributes.  He  does 
not  represent  himself  as  essentially  power,  but  He  does  represent 
himself  as  essentially  love ;  his  power  therefore  must  be  employed 
to  give  expression  to  his  love. 

We  should  not  be  surprised  therefore,  that  in  using  the  nations 
to  work  out  His  own  great  problems.  He  should  teach  them  that 
power  is  not  the  main  thing,  but  that  it  is  only  a  means  to  a  nobler 
end  ;  that  it  is  to  be  used  for  the  administration  of  justice,  for  the 
defense   of   the   poor  and   needy,   and  the  uplifting  of  the  fallen. 

119 


Nebuchadnezzar  King  of  Babylon  was  taught  a  most  impressive 
lesson  in  regard  to  the  subordination  of  governmental  power  for 
moral  purposes.  In  his  arrogance  he  had  said,  "  Is  not  this  great 
Babylon  that  I  have  built  for  the  house  of  the  kingdom,  by  the 
might  of  my  power  and  for  the  honor  of  my  majesty?"  And  for 
this  he  was  driven  from  among  men,  and  was  made  to  dwell  with 
the  beasts  of  the  fields,  and  to  eat  grass  as  oxen.  But  perhaps  we 
have  not  all  thought  how  appropriate  this  punishment  was  to  the 
crime.  He  had  magnified  his  lower  nature  in  which  he  was  allied  to 
the  animal  creation,  he  had  deified  brute  force  in  the  mere  exhibi- 
tion of  power  in  itself,  and  thus  he  had  made  a  beast  of  himself ; 
and  so  God  very  appropriately  in  his  discipline  and  humiliation, 
classified  him  with  the  oxen  and  caused  him  to  eat  grass  by  their 
side. 

What  an  object  lesson  for  all  time  to  come  for  all  governments 
which  may  pride  themselves  in  the  exercise  of  mere  power,  uncon- 
trolled by  any  moral  considerations,  is  that  same  Nebuchadnezzer 
as  we  see  him  in  the  field,  eating  grass  by  the  side  of  the  oxen ! 
How  impressively  in  this,  are  we  taught  what  God  thinks  of  the 
perversion  of  governmental  power  to  selfish  purposes. 

We  come  now  in  the  third  place,  to  advance  a  step  further,  and 
that  a  very  important  step,  and  claim  that  God  uses  human  govern- 
ments as  his  agents  for  the  purification  of  such  nations  as  deserve 
his  rebuke,  and  the  destruction  of  such  as  are  proving  only  a  curse 
to  mankind. 

Old  Testament  history  abundantly  sustains  this  claim.  We 
know  that  God  was  very  careful  to  instruct  the  Israelites,  that  it  was 
not  on  account  of  their  own  righteousness  that  they  were  to  over- 
throw the  Canaanites,  and  dispossess  them  of  their  homes,  but  it  was 
on  account  of  the  exceeding  wickedness  of  those  nations — their  cup 
of  iniquity  was  full  to  overflowing — justice  called  for  their  destruct- 
ion, and  the  Israelites  were  simply  God's  executioners. 

Then  when  Israel  needed  chastening,  God  appointed  the  Bab}'- 
lonians  to  destroy  their  city  and  carry  them  away  into  captivity.     In 

120 


a  similar  way  the  Greek  nation  was  overthrown,  notwithstanding  its 
wonderful  attainments  in  the  realm  of  literature,  philosophy,  and 
the  fine  arts ;  and  so  the  Roman  empire  with  all  its  magnificence 
was  overthrown  by  other  nations  who  acted  simply  as  God's  execu- 
tioners. In  both  instances,  these  nations  had  forfeited  all  their 
rights  of  existence.  The  Greeks  with  all  their  learning,  were  fairly 
l^iitrid  in  morals ;  and  the  Romans  with  all  their  magnificence 
and  renown  were  brutal  to  such  a  degree,  as  to  provide  enter- 
tainment for  the  masses  in  butcheries  too  awful  to  describe. 
Indeed  to-day  the  very  Colosseum  of  Rome,  as  it  stands  in  its  ruins, 
proclaims  the  justice  of  God  in  calling  the  hordes  of  barbarians 
to  wipe  from  the  very  face  of  the  earth  a  government  which 
could  build  such  a  structure,  for  a  purpose  so  base  and  degrading. 
As  we  think  of  such  nations  in  their  unrestrained  power,  trampling 
upon  all  human  rights  and  fairly  gloating  over  human  suffering,  we 
appreciate  as  never  before,  the  spirit  of  the  imprecatory  psalms,  and 
in  our  agony  we  exclaim,  "  O  Lord  God,  to  whom  vengeance  belong- 
eth;  O  God,  to  whom  vengeance  belongeth,  show  thyself,  lift  up  thy- 
self thou  judge  of  the  earth  ;  render  a  reward  to  the  proud."  And 
then  when  God  calls  together  his  executioners  to  wipe  such  a  nation 
from  off  the  face  of  the  earth,  with  a  sigh  of  relief  we  exclaim, 
"  Alleluiah:  for  the  Lord  God  omnipotent  reigneth." 

And  now  we  take  another  step,  which  is  by  far  the  most  im- 
portant of  all,  and  claim  that  God  employs  human  governments 
for  the  upbuilding  of  the  Kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  Our  text 
reads,  "And  I  will  .shake  all  nations,  and  the  desire  of  all  nations 
shall  come,  and  I  will  fill  this  house  with  glory,  saith  the  Lord  of 
hosts." 

This  looks  like  cause  and  effect  as  though  the  shaking  of  all 
nations  had  something  to  do  with  the  coming  of  the  "desire  of  all 
nations,"  which  by  the  phraseology  of  the  text,  sustained  by  that  of 
the  context,  we  conclude  to  have  been  none  other  than  our  Lord 
himself.  For  4,000  years,  God  had  been  getting  ready  for  this  most 
important  advent  of  Christ.     The  events  of  history  had  been  con- 

121 


verging  towards  this  one  objective  point.  Christ  is  represented  as 
coming  in  the  fiUness  of  time;  that  is,  the  times  were  ripe  for  his 
coming,  and  the  nations  had  been  shaken  to  make  ready  for  the 
coming  of  the  King.  The  one  kingdom  to  which  all  others  are 
subordinate  v/as  about  to  be  manifested  more  distinctly. 

This  subordination  of  human  governments  to  the  interests  of  the 
church,  and  for  her  special  protection,  is  most  abundantly  taught  in 
God's  Holy  Word.  Isaiah  represents  God  as  saying  of  Cyrus,  "He 
is  my  shepherd  and  shall  perform  all  my  pleasure;  even  saying  to 
Jerusalem,  Thou  shalt  be  built;  and  to  the  temple.  Thy  foundation 
shall  be  laid."  Again  Isaiah  writes,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  God, 
Behold,  I  will  lift  up  mine  hand  to  the  Gentiles  and  set  up  my  stand- 
ard to  the  people,  and  they  shall  bring  thy  sons  in  their  arms  and 
thy  daughters  shall  be  carried  upon  their  shoulders.  And  kings 
shall  be  thy  nursing  fathers  and  their  queens  thy  nursing  mothers; 
they  shall  bow  down  to  thee  with  their  face  toward  the  earth  and 
lick  up  the  dust  of  thy  feet."  And  yet  again  he  writes,  "For  the 
nation  and  kingdom  that  will  not  serve  thee  (i.  e.  God's  spiritual 
kingdom  or  church)  shall  perish;  yea,  those  nations  shall  be  utterly 
wasted."  Daniel  writes,  "  And  the  kingdom  and  dominion  and  the 
greatness  of  the  kingdom,  shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints 
of  the  most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all 
dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him."  The  apostle  Paul  also  teaches 
that  God  hath  made  Christ,  "to  be  head  over  all  things  to  the 
church." 

These  earthly  kingdoms,  these  civil  governments,  are  not  to 
exist  just  for  themselves.  However  pure  their  morals,  or  effective 
their  administration  of  justice,  their  highest  end  is  to  be  found  in 
their  helpfulness  in  promoting  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  They  are 
to  anticipate  the  time  when  "The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  to  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign 
forever  and  ever." 

In  all  our  advocacy  then  of  the  separation  of  Church  and  State, 
let   us  never  count  them  as  in  necessary  hostility  to   each   other. 

122 


I'hcy  are  made  for  each  other,  and  Christ  claims  headship  over  both. 
The  church  cannot  use  the  sword  to  make  converts  ;  she  must  per- 
suade men  in  Christ's  stead  to  become  reconciled  to  God.  But  the 
civil  power  can  and  should  use  the  sword  for  the  maintenance  of 
justice.  Christ  recognized  this  very  distinction  when  he  said, 
"Render  therefore  unto  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Caesar's,  and 
unto  God  the  things  that  are  God's." 

And  the  apostle  instructs  us  that  we  are  to  be  subject  to  the 
higher  powers,  by  which  we  may  understand  the  civil  magistrate, 
who  is  represented  as  bearing  not  the  sword  in  vain ;  but  rather 
as  God's  minister  "to  execute  wrath  upon  him  that  doeth  evil." 
The  church  ought  to  work  for  the  government  and  the  government 
ought  to  work  for  the  church.  They  have  the  same  great  head  and 
they  have  essentially  the  same  great  work — the  uplifting  of  fallen 
humanity. 

It  is  now  ^il  years  since  our  government  called  for  soldiers  to  put 
down  the  great  rebellion,  which  then  threatened  the  very  life  of  the 
nation.  It  is  not  therefore  strange  that,  of  the  hundreds  of  thous- 
ands who  then  responded  to  that  call,  only  a  minority  now  remains; 
a  minority  which  year  by  year  is  growing  less,  until  the  last  shall 
have  passed  away.  The  generation  that  since  has  come  upon  the 
stage  of  life,  delights  to  honor  the  names  of  those  who  laid  down 
their  lives  in  battle,  as  well  as  those  who  survive  to  the  present  time. 
From  year  to  year  the  people  manifest  an  increasing  interest  in 
Memorial  Day  and  Soldiers'  Sunday.  And  now  the  cry  of  war  is 
again  heard  in  the  land.  After  a  peace  of  more  than  thirty  years 
there  is  the  call  for  volunteers ;  and  we  find  the  people  intensely 
excited  from  Maine  to  California  in  raising  armies  and  providing  the 
implements  of  war.  Indeed  we  almost  march  with  our  soldiers  and 
sail  with  our  iron  clads,  as  from  the  daily  press  we  read  the  graphic 
descriptions  of  events  as  they  are  transpiring.  But  what  does  this 
war  mean.?  This  is  not  for  the  defense  of  our  firesides  which  are 
well  protected;  this  is  not  for  the  support  of  our  government,  which 
is  rich  and  strong  and  prosperous;  this  is  not  for  the  acquisition  of 

123 


territory,  for  we  now  have  more  land  than  we  need;  this  rather  we 
claim  to  be  a  war,  in  the  interest  of  humanity.  We  are  turning  a  new 
leaf  in  our  national  history;  we  are  looking  outside  our  own  borders 
and  directing  another  nation  what  she  shall  do  in  regard  to  her  colo- 
nial possessions.  We  have  espoused  the  cause  of  a  weak  people,  in 
their  efforts  to  break  the  oppressive  yoke  of  Spain.  And  in  doing 
this  we  feel  that  we  are  discharging  a  very  high  and  responsible  duty, 
that  as  a  nation  we  are  acting  the  part  of  the  good  Samaritan. 

Our  revolutionary  fathers,  in  their  declaration  of  independence, 
presented  facts  as  furnishing  the  reason  for  the  course  they  pur- 
sued, and  so  we  simply  appeal  to  facts,  in  the  treatment  which  Cuba 
has  endured  from  Spain,  as  constituting  the  warrant  which  we  have 
for  taking  up  arms.  We,  with  other  civilized  nations,  have  had  our 
sympathies  stirred  to  their  depths  by  the  prolonged  cruelties  to 
which  the  Cubans  have  been  subjected.  We  have  endured  all  this, 
hoping  for  better  things,  until  patience  has  ceased  to  be  a  virtue. 

Turkish  atrocities  towards  the  Armenians  could  be  attributed  to 
religious  hostility,  it  was  the  Crescent  against  the  Cross;  but  this  war 
of  Spain  with  Cuba  reveals  no  such  mitigation,  where  we  find  all  of 
one  religious  faith.  Nor  is  this  a  single  instance,  an  unhappy  excep- 
tion to  Spain's  general  policy;  truth  rather  compels  us  to  assert  that 
it  is  but  the  continuation  of  centuries  of  misrule.  Spain  seems  to 
have  learned  nothing  and  to  have  forgotten  nothing  since  the  dark 
ages.  Her  decline  from  the  high  position  of  a  first  class  power  four 
and  five  centuries  ago  to  her  present  degradation,  is  one  of  the  sad 
facts  of  history;  and  her  decline  is  attributable  to  her  tyranny,  perse- 
cution and  unspeakable  cruelty.  Away  back,  as  the  discoverer  of 
this  Western  Hemisphere,  her  treatment  of  the  aborigines  was 
shocking  beyond  description,  and  subsequently  her  notorious 
Spanish  Inquisition  has  been  the  horror  of  horrors. 

The  one  fact,  that  her  Sunday  bull  fights  continue  to  be  the 
amusement  of  her  populace  at  the  present  time,  is  indicative  that 
her  disease  is  too  deep  seated  for  any  ordinary  reform  and  can  be 
cured  only  by  the  most  heroic  treatment. 

124 


In  these  closing  years  of  the  19th  century,  Turkey  and  Spain 
stand  impeached  by  the  civihzed  world,  as  unworthy  a  place  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  The  voice  of  rivers  of  blood  drank  up  by 
the  thirsty  ground,  which  has  been  shed  by  these  monsters,  cries 
aloud  to  heaven  for  vengeance.  As  nations,  they  have  been  weighed 
in  the  balance  and  found  wanting.  The  verdict  of  humanity  is,  that 
they  are  not  fit  to  bear  rule  over  men,  and  that  they  have  forfeited 
all  those  rights  that  justice  is  bound  to  respect. 

Two  years  ago  the  world  stood  aghast  at  the  massacres  of  the 
Armenians  by  the  Turks  ;  but  people  were  not  more  shocked  by  the 
atrocities  themselves,  than  by  the  fact  that  the  nations  of  Europe 
were  so  paralyzed  by  their  international  complications  as  to  prevent 
them  from  going  to  the  relief  of  the  persecuted.  Now  that  similar 
atrocities  are  enacted  on  one  of  the  fairest  islands  of  this  Western 
Hemisphere,  let  us  thank  God  that  this  nation  finds  it  unnecessary 
to  ask  permission  of  any  power  on  earth  to  go  to  the  assistance  of 
the  down-trodden. 

Certainly  we  are  not  without  evidence,  that  God  has  given  us  our 
great  power,  that  he  might  use  us  for  the  humiliation  of  a  nation, 
that  has  too  long  resisted  all  reform  and  insisted  upon  filling  up  her 
cup  of  iniquity  to  the  very  brim. 

When  in  peopling  this  country  centuries  ago,  God  shook  the 
nations  of  Great  Britain,  France  and  Holland,  it  was  that  some  of 
the  very  richest,  choicest,  ripest  fruit  might  fall  on  these  shores  in 
the  persons  of  the  sturdy  Dutch,  the  French  Huguenots,  the  Eng- 
lish Puritans  and  the  Scotch  Covenanters.  The  love  for  God  and 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  which  they  cherished  and  fought  for,  is 
still  a  power  in  this  land.  They  knew  what  it  was  to  fight  bigotry 
and  intolerance,  and  "being  dead  they  yet  speak."  Yes,  their  voice 
is  heard  from  the  mouths  of  Dewey's  cannons,  and  we  hope  will 
soon  be  heard  again,  not  less  emphatically,  from  those  of   Sampson. 

But  let  us  be  careful  not  to  be  inflated  by  our  victories.  Let  us 
not  be  unmindful  of  the  responsible  position  which  we  occupy. 

If  this  with  us  is  a  holy  war,  then  are  we  God's  executioners,  and 

i2q 


as  such  should  cherish   no  hatred,  no  revenge,  no  bitter  fcchngs. 
This  is  the  time  to  walk  humbly  before  God. 

The  sheriff  should  not  hate  the  man  he  hangs ;  nor  should  we 
hate  the  Spaniards  whom  in  God's  name  we  chasten. 

Grant  did  not  hate  Lee  when  he  refused  to  accept  his  sword,  and 
made  his  humiliation  in  his  surrender  as  light  as  possible.  So  we 
must  feed  and  clothe  our  Spanish  prisoners  and  show  them  what 
Christianity  can  do  to  mitigate  the  horrors  of  war. 

We  are  fast  making  history,  and  apparently  are  on  the  eve  of 
great  events.  The  fate  of  twenty  millions  of  people  on  the  Philippine 
Islands,  long  crushed  by  the  tyranny  of  Spain,  now  wavers  in  the 
balance  as  we  are  suddenly  confronted  with  the  question  of  a  future 
colonial  policy.  What  shall  we  do  with  our  victory .?  and  greater 
than  this  what  does  God  mean  we  shall  do  with  it  ?  are  questions 
which  must  be  answered,  and  should  be  answered  only  on  our  knees 
before  God.  Threatened  complications  with  other  governments,  as 
the  peace  of  Europe  is  now  disturbed,  will  severely  tax  the  wisdom 
of  our  most  astute  statesmen. 

But,  with  all  this  confusion  incident  to  God's  shaking  of  the 
nations,  let  us  listen  that  we  may  hear  the  sweet  voice  of  Jesus  say- 
ing, "Fear  not  little  flock  for  it  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
give  you  the  Kingdom." 


Prayer. 

[OJ^ered    by  Rev.    Levi   Patsons,    D.  D.   at    tlie  Sullivan    Centennial , 
Geneseo,  N.  V.,  September  iSth,  iS/p.] 

Our  Father  who  art  in  Meaven,  we  worship  thee  as  God  over 

126 


all  and  blessed  forever.  Thou  art  the  King,  eternal,  immortal,  in- 
visible, the  only  wise  God,  ruling  throughout  the  immensity  of  thy 
dominions,  controlling  all  creatures  and  directing  all  events.  We 
approach  thy  mercy-seat  at  this  time  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  the  Father  of  Mercies,  to  thank  thee  that  under  circumstan- 
ces so  auspicious  we  are  permitted  to  gather  here  from  far  and  near 
to  celebrate  the  deeds  of  our  fathers  and  to  cherish  the  memories  of 
those  who  in  the  infancy  of  our  republic  fought  our  battles  for  us. 

We  rejoice  that  while  one  generation  passeth  away  and  another 
generation  cometh,  yet  thou  art  the  same  and  of  thy  days  and  of  thy 
years  there  is  no  end  ;  so  that  this  day  we  are  permitted  to  wor- 
ship the  same  God  whom  our  fathers  worshipped  and  to  cherish  and 
perpetuate  the  same  institutions  which  in  thy  kind  Providence  they 
planted  and  have  been  permitted  to  hand  down  to  us. 

We  bless  thy  name  that  as  the  fruit  of  the  hard  toil  of  those  who 
have  gone  before  us  we  are  permitted  to  gather  rich  harvests  from 
the  fields  spread  out  before  us ;  so  that,  where  was  the  wilderness 
unbroken  save  by  the  foot  of  the  savage,  we  now  discover  thousands 
of  happy  homes.  We  rejoice  that  these  homes  have  been  illumin- 
ated by  the  light  of  the  gospel,  and  that  in  the  early  settlement  of 
oui"  land  religious  and  educational  institutions  were  planted  which 
subsequently  have  grown  with  our  growth  and  strengthened  with 
our  strength.  We  rejoice  also  that  we  may  trace  thy  guardian  care 
in  all  the  way  in  which  thou  hast  led  us  as  a  nation,  so  that  from 
small  beginnings  we  now  occupy  a  position  of  such  influence  among 
the  nations  of  the  earth. 

We  thank  thee  that  in  times  of  darkness  and  distress  thou  hast 
not  forsaken  us — in  times  when  our  sins  have  justly  provoked  thy 
disj^leasure,  thou  hast  indeed  remembered  mercy.  And  now  we  in- 
voke thy  blessing  to  rest  upon  us  in  the  future  while  at  the  same 
time  we  consecrate  ourselves  to  thy  service. 

Defend  us  O  Lord  from  the  machinations  of  evil  men.  Defend 
us  from  drunkenness,  profanity,  Sabbath  breaking,  and  kindred  sins. 
Grant  that  our  officers  may  be  peace  and  our  exactors  righteousness. 

127 


Incline  us  to  the  cultivation  of  that  charity  which  thinketh  no  evil 
and  is  powerful  for  the  uplifting  of  the  oppressed  and  degraded. 
Help  us  to  deal  justly  and  magnanimously  with  the  sons  of  the  red 
man  who  once  occupied  these  lands  which  we  call  our  own.  Help 
us  also  to  welcome  with  true  cordiality  to  these  shores  the  oppressed 
of  all  nations. 

Incline  us  to  cherish  the  principles  contained  in  thy  Holy  Word 
and  to  seek  their  diffusion  throughout  the  earth.  Grant  us  thy  rich 
grace,  our  Heavenly  Father,  that  we  may  so  fulfill  all  our  duties  that 
our  children  and  childrens  children  may  rise  up  and  call  us  blessed. 
All  which  we  ask  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


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DATE  DUE 


DEMCO  38-297 


ill 

1    1012  01044  3218 


